BMB

At the end of the 19th-century, building development along the Pershore Road from Birmingham via Ten
Acres, began to reach the hamlet of Stirchley. This development was to continue towards Cotteridge,
supported by the opening of Bournville railway station in 1876, and Cadbury Brothers' factory in 1879.
By the commencement of the Second World War, the area was completely built up, including some
council housing.

A part-time evening branch (Mondays; Fridays; Saturdays 18:00 to 19:30) was opened in Stirchley during
the Bank's first year of operation. The front portion of a house at 1516 Pershore Road undertook
business from December 5th 1919. The tenancy, however, was limited, and a move was made to 1471
Pershore Road on November 5th 1920.

The new location was regarded as temporary, and the Bank took steps to purchase 1505 and 1507
Pershore Road. However, possession could not be obtained of 1505, so a partial reconstruction was
made at 1507. This reconstruction was the first to be dealt with by the City Surveyor (H H Humphries) as
architect; the majority of reconstructions and new builds were subsequently carried out by the City
Surveyor.

The City Surveyor's scheme at Stirchley was designed so that immediately possession was obtained of
the London Restaurant operating at 1505, the two premises could be amalgamated. The newly altered
premises at 1507 Pershore Road were formally opened on October 29th 1923, by the Deputy Mayor
(Alderman W A Cadbury) who deposited Ł1 to be placed to the credit of the first baby born in the
Stirchley district that day. The branch then opened on a daily basis, with standard hours applying.

The 1930 Annual Report stated that the premises at Stirchley are being enlarged. This is when the Bank
was able to take possession of the next door unit which it had owned for some years.

In 1959, the Bank sold 353 square yards of land at the rear that formed part of the garden of the flat
above the branch for Ł350 plus costs. The purchaser was the Bank's neighbour, the Ten Acres and
Stirchley Co-operative Society Funeral Furnishing Service, who required additional land for the parking
of their vehicles, and the erection of a Chapel of Rest.

Number of Open Accounts at March 31st:
1920 - 311
1927 - 4,458

Average Weekly Transactions:
1920 - 76
1927 - 504

Managers:
1928 - C Danks
1929 - E J Cope
1930 & 1931 - J A Duff

1963 - H Wheelock
1965 to 1967 - N Slater
1969 to 1970 - T P Cox
1972 - A Green
1976 - R J Fernie

The branch as originally opened as a
permanent branch at 1507 Pershore Road

Dignitaries assembled for the
branch opening ceremony
- October 29th 1923

Interior of the branch in 1923

Stirchley branch after an extension to
include 1505 Pershore Road was
completed - November 1930.
The new extension is on the right of
the photograph

Interior following the extension

2009: the premises are now a
branch of Lloyds TSB