The Savings Banks Institute (SBI) was founded in 1948, coming into being under the shadow of the Second World War, with shortages and rationing still the order of the day. At the outset its only activity was the setting of the Associate Examination which, in the main, was derived from the Sir Thomas Jaffrey competitive examinations which were introduced as long ago as 1926, when Sir Thomas donated a substantial sum, the income from which provided prizes for ambitious young staff who excelled in subjects relating to the work of the savings banks. During the years which followed, the Institute rapidly expanded its activities. First, in 1949, came the inauguration of local branches, which arranged series of lectures and some social activities, followed within a short time by the formation of a small library of technical publications, and the setting up of a Benevolent Fund for the help of the staffs of the banks in times of unforeseen emergencies.

 

In 1951, the first national Vocational School was held at Worcester College, Oxford, and its success resulted in the school becoming an annual event at one or other of the universities throughout the United Kingdom. By the mid-fifties regional weekend, or mid-week, vocational schools had also come into being, thus widening the opportunities for TSB staff to attend this excellent form of training. It was not long before the Institute realised the need for a permanent residential training college, and in pursuance of this end, experimental, or pilot, residential training courses were held at a hotel in Scarborough. They were an immediate success, and the Institute was then faced with the task of finding a home for the proposed College. The acquisition of a former hotel in Creynolds Lane, Shirley, Solihull, quickly followed, and its development and progress resulted in it eventually becoming the Management College for the TSBs following the post-Page reforms, and then for Lloyds TSB.

 

The syllabus of the Associate Examinations was revised and improved from time to time. The Institute also organised local induction courses for the benefit of new staff; travelling scholarships were awarded to more senior staff; and the Institute launched a comprehensive scheme for in-bank training throughout the country. All these achievements of the Savings Banks Institute were invaluable to the TSBs, who were, in the same period, making remarkable progress. Without the support of the staff training provided by the Institute during a time of rapid expansion, it is doubtful whether the banks would have been able to assimilate such rapid growth so effectively. The development of the TSBs, following the Page Report, into the 'third force in banking' and the provision under Section 9 of the Trustee Savings Banks Act 1976 that TSBs 'shall have the power to carry on the business of banking', led the SBI to merge with the Institute of Bankers. Following a Special General Meeting of the SBI held in London on August 17th 1977, the two Institutes merged on October 1st 1977.

 

(This short history of the Savings Banks Institute is largely taken from an article by Sir Athelstan Caröe, CBE, BA, Hons FSBI, the then Chairman of the TSB Association Ltd, to celebrate the Institute's Silver Jubilee in 1973. The proposed formation of the SBI was discussed by the Bank's Committee of Management in 1945.)

 

The following sections of the website contain related topics:

 

 SBI Examination Syllabus and BMB Prizewinners

 

 Examination Results

 

 

 

 BMB Honours List - Associates of the Savings Banks Institute

 

 SBI National Branch Quiz

 

 BMB staff serving on the SBI Council

 

 

Contributions by BMB staff to the Journal of the Savings Banks Institute:

 

 - Some Thoughts on Chairman Miaow (Revlac)

 

 - Banking - on Holiday (Gelbie)

 

 - NON NOBIS ... (Gelbie)

 

NOTE:
 other contributions by these two authors are reproduced in the following sections of the website:
 
 -  Memories

 

 - Staff Magazines

 

 

 

(Thanks are due to (a) David Glenn for providing copies of the SBI Journals for October 1968, and March 1969 to December 1977 (excluding January 1976); and (b) Graham Capener for providing the SBI Journals for October 1964, 1965, and 1967; these have provided the majority of the information reproduced in this section of the website)