BMB

Wheeler Street, just north of the city centre, and linking Hockley to Lozells, dates from about 1850. By
the beginning of the 20th-century it was a principal route through a densely populated area that justified
the opening of a branch. A temporary office was initially opened in 1924 in nearby Summer Lane, but
this was closed in favour of two new branches as reported in the 1930 Annual Report (dated June 16th
1930), which stated that 'Since the end of the financial year .... additional branch Bank facilities have been
provided at Wheeler Street and Newtown Row in place of the temporary Summer Lane Branch'.
That report listed the branch's address as 5 Wheeler Street, Birmingham 19 (phone: NORthern 3238),
and described it as an evening branch - open Mondays and Saturdays 18:00 to 20:00.

The following year's report (dated June 6th 1931) states that 'Since the end of the financial year daily
Bank facilities have been provided at Wheeler Street in place of the former evening bank'. This refers to
the formal opening (reported in the 1932 Annual Report) on May 9th 1931, by the Lord Mayor
(Alderman W W Saunders). The branch's address is now listed as 7 Wheeler Street. The daily opening
hours for Wheeler Street at this time were slightly different to other full-time branches as they anticipated
the switch of Saturday evening opening (18:00 to 20:00) to the same times on Fridays, that was applied
to all branches from July 31st 1931.

A new branch was opened in the Aston Newtown Shopping Centre on January 5th 1968, to which the
business of Wheeler Street was transferred, the latter premises being required to be demolished under a
Redevelopment Scheme for the area.

Manager:
1931 - A J Smith

1963 - N Slater
1965 to 1966 - H W Powell
1967 to 1969 - W Porritt
1969 - G J Sherborne
1970 - K N Whittaker
1972 - H W Powell

Wheeler Street branch, shortly after the completion of
the reconstruction of 5 and 7 Wheeler Street in 1931

The Lord Mayor (Alderman W W
Saunders) arrives with the Lady
Mayoress and the Bank's General
Manager (J P Hilton) for the
opening of Wheeler Street branch,
May 9th 1931

The Lord Mayor addresses a large
crowd at the official opening
ceremony

A number of small children use a
gas lamp and the branch's window
cills to gain a better view of events

Interior of Wheeler Street in 1931

Aston Newtown branch in 1968

Two views of the interior of
Aston Newtown, 1968

The opening ceremony for the new
branch was performed by the Bank's
Chairman (Councillor Denis
Martineau), shown on the left of
this photograph. Next to him is the
Bank's General Manager (Stanley
Guy), and on the far right is a
member of staff, Iris Pudge