Martins Bank, Water Street,

MARTINS

BANK, LIVERPOOL

Created by:

Jonathon Wild Campaign Director – Maelstrom www.maelstromdesign.co.uk

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

CONTENTS

SUMMARY………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3

THOMAS GRESHAM….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4

WATER STREET……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….5

MARTINS BANK………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6

HERBERT J ROWSE………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7

MARTINS BANK HQ WATER STREET……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….8

MARTINS BANK – CONT…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………9

SELECTED IMAGES…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10 – 22

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

SUMMARY

Martins Bank, located on Water Street, Liverpool, is a grade 2 listed building and former bank. Its location is on the corner of Water Street and Exchange Street West. Construction started in 1927, this was the head office for Martins Bank which was a replacement for the Bank as this building was not able to cope with the demands of the banking services of the public.

The building fronts on a very busy thoroughfare on Water Street. Water Street being one of the original seven streets of Liverpool (High Street, Chapel Street, Water Street, Castle Street, Dale Street, Tithebarn Street, Old Hall Street) which made the ‘H’ shape of the earliest roads in Liverpool. Water Street itself formerly called Bonk (Bank) Street which led to the original bank of the river Mersey.

The building was in use till 2009 when the branch was disbanded. It has remained empty to this day and previous proposals on making use for the building have stalled.

Martins Bank building is passed by thousands of workers each day, but one must inspect the Slave relief and wonder what part that must play in the history of the building. There is controversy over these sculptures of which we will come to later in a separate chapter.

It is a masterpiece and considered to be one of the greatest interwar classical buildings in the country and yet it is a difficult building to capture in photography due to the cramped nature of the surrounding buildings to all sides. It sits comfortably along the Town Hall and mirrors the design of India Buildings across Water Street. The buildings features must be seen up close to puzzle the mind as to the history of the building. Do the sculptures on the exterior feature the role of slavery in Liverpool’s economy, or are they added as a celebration to the international aspect of Liverpool’s trade as a city?

Further details can be seen up close to the building, but you must look for the finer details. While Martins Bank Building adorns the exterior on Exchange Street West, it is the finer detail that one can miss when hurrying past. The grasshoppers to the entrance on Water Street come from the crest of Sir , the supposed founder of Martins Bank.

The interior of Martins Bank must be seen to be believed. There are two War Memorials from the Great and the second world war. It boasts of massive travertine limestone-clad columns, vaulted arcades and generous light flooding in from the skylights above. It is refreshing to see that the curved counter used in the banking days is still there to this day.

The eighth floor holds the stunning and elaborate boardroom, with its beamed and painted ceiling. It is richly painted in hundreds of colourful motifs including beautiful golden Liver Birds. The arcade of India Building seems sparse in comparison.

Of course, the reader cannot glance over the summary of Martins Bank without drawing attention to the 280 tons of Gold that once sat in the basement. Operation Fish saw 280 tons of Gold reserves transported from the Bank of to Martins’ Head Office in Water Street for safekeeping before being shipped to Canada.

Reading the plaque outside the bank sums up part of this rich history:

IN MAY 1940 WHEN THIS COUNTRY WAS THREATENED WITH INVASION PART OF THE NATIONS GOLD RESERVE WAS BROUGHT FROM AND LOWERED THROUGH THE HATCH FOR SAFE KEEPING IN THE VAULTS OF MARTINS BANKS.

The history of this building is as rich and varied as the stunning interior and yet there are many people who have never set foot inside this building.

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

THOMAS GRESHAM

1.1.1 INTRODUCTION

The Grasshopper. This is the sign under which the bank traded and was known in its early years. The history of Martins Bank is from the tradition that Thomas Gresham founded the bank back in 1563. The first use of the Grasshopper sign was positioned in Lombard Street, but has no early connection with Martins Bank.

Sir Thomas Gresham the Elder, born 1519 (died 21st November 1579) was a noted Merchant and financer who was controlled by King Edward VI. Gresham founded the Royal Exchange in the . He was born in London and was the son of Sir Richard Gresham who was a leading merchant and one-time Lord Mayor of London. ‘Sir’ Thomas was knighted for negotiating favourable loans with foreign merchants.

During 1551, the authorities called upon the services of Gresham after a poorly mismanaged judgement by Sir Dansell. He had caused many issues and much controversy that the authorities asked Gresham for advice. Gresham advised the adoption of various methods including raising the value of the pound sterling on the bourse of Antwerp. This proved so successful that in just over a few years, King Edward VI was nearly debt free.

Sir Thomas was of great influence in the 16th century. He founded the first Royal Exchange in 1565 which turned the centre of London in to a global centre of finance. But why the Grasshopper? Legend has it, that the ancestor of Thomas, Roger De Gresham, was abandoned in the marshlands of Norfolk. The orphan’s discovery was down to a grasshopper’s sound. The Gresham family incorporated the insect in to their coat of arms.

Gresham was also a wool merchant and began as a Goldsmith in around 1563. The family crest was adored in Gold and added as his shop sign in Lombard Street. After Gresham’s death, the grasshopper sign was used by successive goldsmiths on the same site – 68, Lombard Street. It was down to these early partnerships that evolved in to Martins Bank.

Gresham’s Law is a famous principle where ‘bad money drives out good’. The law was named after Gresham who explained to Queen Elizabeth I what was happening to the English Shilling.

Her father had replaced 40 percent of the silver in the coin with base metal as to increase government income without raising taxes. Many people would therefore save the ‘good’ money and spend the ‘bad’ money. The good coins would be saved and eventually disappear from circulation.

Gresham died in November 1579 and was buried at St Helen’s Church, Bishopsgate, London.

The grasshopper signs live on, on top of the Royal Exchange building in London. Another can be seen in Change Alley marking the site of Garraways Coffee House. Again, there is the gold grasshopper on Lombard Street carrying the date of 1563 and pre-dates the Great Fire of London.

With the Gresham moto and family crest stating, “On a Mount Vert a Grasshopper”. Further afield, the grasshopper has also appeared by Gresham College, and across the water in The Faneil Hall at Boston, Massachusetts.

Finally, there is the rare Grasshopper signet ring. The ring was gifted by Gresham to a gentleman in the reign of Elizabeth I. It features a crystal signet bearing the arms of Edmund Tremayne, clerk to the privy council.

The inner side is engraved, with a grasshopper.

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

WATER STREET

Water Street, Liverpool. One of the original 7 streets of Liverpool that was laid out in a H fashion. It takes its name from Bonk Street (this is from the Lancashire dialect, the Bonk of the River). It was then renamed to Bank Street (the bank of the river) and then to Water Street in 1520.

Standing at the bottom of Water street, your feet would have been on the shoreline of the Mersey. These days, Water Street is a very busy one-way street lined with historical buildings either side.

The Town Hall - To the right is the Town Hall. Pevsner Architectural Guide are a series of guide books to the architecture of the UK and it describes the Town Hall as, ‘a magnificent scale, and consider it to be one of the grandest suites of civic rooms in the kingdom. Rebuilt in 1802 and a Grade 1 listed building, it is one of Liverpool’s well recognised buildings. The interior provides a Hall of Remembrance to the Liverpool servicemen killed in the first world war. The upper rooms consist of well decorated rooms for events and functions. The website for is: https://www.liverpooltownhall.co.uk/

7 Water Street was once the former Head Office of the Bank of Liverpool. With this being both the Head Office and the city branch, it provided the first home to the Bank of Liverpool itself. For a short time between 1928 to 1932, it became the Head Office of Martins Bank. The huge bronze entrance doors are furnished with panthers' heads with open jaws and ferocious teeth.

India Buildings across the road is very much in the same style as Martins Bank. Which is not surprising as both buildings were designed by Herbert J Rowse. This building, the design influenced by the Italian Renaissance, was built in 1924, shortly before the building of Martins Bank. It was built as a private building for the Blue Funnel Line and partly let to other businesses. There are 9 stories in total, a mezzanine, basement and sub- basement. The building was badly damaged by bombing in 1941 and underwent restoration under the watchful eye of its original designer, Herbert J Rowse. More information on the building can be found at http://www.indiabuilding.co.uk/

14 Water Street – Oriel Chambers is a grade 1 listed building on the right-hand side of Water Street. It is the world’s first building featuring a metal framed glass curtain wall. Construction started in 1864 and completed in the same year. It was not well received. The Builder quoted (source, Wikipedia): The plainest brick warehouse in town is infinitely superior as a building to that large agglomeration of protruding plate-glass bubbles in Water Street termed Oriel Chambers. Did we not see this vast abortion – which would be depressing were it not ludicrous – with our own eyes, we should have doubted the possibility of its existence. Where and in what are their beauties supposed to lie?

West Africa House at the bottom of Water Street was constructed in 1920 and designed by Briggs, Wolstenholme & Thornley, the impressive building has served many purposes in its varied life so far. It was originally built to house the Bank of British West Africa, it measures 6500 sq ft and consists of 8 stories. Its steel framed structure is faced with Portland stone and Aberdeen granite and reflects the grandeur of many buildings at the time of building.

At the bottom of Water Street, one cannot fail to be moved by the 3 Graces, The Liver Buildings, The , and the Port of Liverpool building. The bottom of Water Street also houses the corner of Tower Buildings and on a Sunday, the historical peal of 12 bells can be heard drifting over from St Nicholas Parish Church.

For the pedestrian to turn around, and face the climb up Water Street, it is yet a sight to behold. New Zealand House, Martins Bank, India Buildings and various side streets in to other parts of the city, this street is one of the most dominant in the Banking history of Liverpool, as well as a story being told via each side of the street whose buildings tell the story on the pages of a book, each unique and in their own style.

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

MARTINS BANK

As previously recorded, Martins Bank was associated with the Grasshopper, the sign which under the early years, the bank traded and held it’s custom. The Martin family were part of the early Goldsmiths in London and in the 1500’s, Richard Martin was elected a liveryman of the Goldsmiths Company and that of the Lord Mayor’s position for London.

It was well known that bankers in London would run their business under the one roof, and Martins did just that. However, they did have the occasional branch outlet where their partners lived. In 1891, Martins Bank became a limited company. Their desire to compete with other banks was not fruitful and thus continued to look for amalgamation with other branch names.

Martins Bank looked upon acquisitions, but it was then the Bank of Liverpool that amalgamated with Martins Bank to become Bank of Liverpool and Martins. During 1928, the name was shortened to Martins Bank.

The logo for Martins Bank provides a link to its heritage. It shows a grasshopper and it also shows a liver bird. The Liver bird being the symbol for Liverpool. The final description of the crest is ‘A Liver Bird, holding seaweed in its beak, on a Chief of the third a grasshopper of the first”.

After the war, Martins Bank could be found operating and owning Lewis’ banks which had branches within the Lewis’ department stores.

Back in Liverpool, there was major change with a new headquarters for Martins Bank Limited being constructed at number 4 Water Street, replacing the last headquarters which was at 7 Water Street.

The grasshopper made its way on to the cheque books and amongst its customers were a footballs pools company, an airline and a shipping line.

There were some notable firsts for Martins Bank:

• It was the first bank in the North of England with a cash machine (84 Church Street, Liverpool) • It was ahead in the role of future proofing by having mobile branches in rural areas. • Leicester took the role of the first drive-through bank in 1966. • Martins Bank was the first to have a head office outside London.

Towards the end of the 1960’s, Martins bank was the sixth largest clearing bank in the UK. It employed 3,430 men, 3,004 women, 266 messengers and 600 auxiliaries.

Finally, back in 1965, Lord Cromer, negotiated a large deal to merge Martins Bank, and but this was halted on the grounds of competition. However, the Barclays-Martin deal went through. Sadly, the grasshopper logo disappeared from site and was resigned to the history books.

Today, there are very few reminders of Martins Banks. Most recently was discovering the original sign for Martins Bank when a former Barclays Bank was decommissioned in Childwall, Liverpool and the original sign was found under the newer advertisements.

The buildings are still there in Water Street, Liverpool and one bears the name ‘Martins Bank’, but these are now faded names from the past.

With the recommissioning of 4 Water Street, the Martins Bank name will once bring attention to itself as a name from the past and strike a note for the historical banking scene of yesteryear.

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

HERBERT JAMES ROWSE

Any documentation written about Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool cannot go without an insight in to Herbert James Rowse, the Architect behind Martins Bank, and several other Works within Liverpool.

Herbert J Rowse was born in Melling Road, Liverpool on the 10th May 1887. His father, James William Rowse, was a builder. He went to a private school in his early years and then moved on to Liverpool University School of Architecture. This school was up and coming as the most influential architectural college in the country. Studying hard, Herbert was awarded first-class honours in 1907 and this took him around the world to further his study and to learn his forthcoming trade.

He returned to Liverpool in 1914 at the start of World War 1 and started his own practice. When war took place, he worked as an Architect for the British Navy. Once the war was over, he returned to his practice and started to design for the forthcoming India Buildings, Water Street, Liverpool. His design was considered the greatest and thus he was at the helm for making India Buildings appear from his drawings in to stonework in Liverpool.

Nikolas Pevsner write a series of books ‘The buildings of England’ and is quoted to have said:

The first was India Buildings of 1923–30, designed in conjunction with Arnold Thornely, and complete with a tunnel-vaulted shopping arcade; Reilly wrote that it "would not disgrace Fifth Avenue". Two years after completion, it was outdone by Rowse's Martins Bank opposite, whose arcaded and Travertine-clad banking hall is the match of any in the country, and one of the sights of Liverpool.

From the neo-classical designs of Water Street, Rowse turned his attention back to Art Deco and provided Liverpool with a great and well recognised Ventilation Tower and control centre for the . It was a great success and by the design of the Ventilation Tower in Birkenhead, he won a Bronze Medal from RIBA for his efforts.

Turning his attention away from the control of the Queensway Tunnels, he also designed the ‘new’ Philharmonic Hall back in 1939 to replace the previous one in a Streamline Moderne style. Again, this was a great success and is still in full use to this day.

After the war, Rowse returned to Liverpool to facilitate the restoration of India Buildings which had been severely damaged by bombings in the second world war. It must have been heart breaking to have seen a recently completed building under attack in the war, and yet Rowse returned to make sure that this building was once again completed to the highest finish.

He further advised the Belgium Government on post war reconstruction.

Rowse died in Cheshire at his home in 1963. Liverpool had lost a great architect but must be grateful for his legacy. The design of India Buildings and Martins Bank alone completes Water Street and puts architecture on par with William Brown Street.

His legacy can be found over Liverpool and surrounding area’s with further architectural works.

These include, but not limited to, Housing at Rainhill, Lloyds Bank Church Street, Woodchurch Estate Birkenhead, additions to St Paul’s eye hospital and Royal Southern Hospital.

A blue plaque can be found on Martins Bank building ‘City of Liverpool’ Martins Bank Building. 1927-32. Herbert J Rowse, Architect. Also noted is his name, inscribed in stonework on the fantastic building.

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

MARTINS BANK – WATER STREET

Overview of Martins Bank

• Constructed between 1927-1932 • Grade 2 listed building (Listed 12th June 1966) • Address: Martins Bank Building, 4&6 Water Street, Liverpool. • Architect: Herbert J Rowse • Built to replace Bank of Liverpool building at 7 Water Street • Housed 280 tonnes of the nation’s Gold in WW2. • Building closed in 2009 and remained empty since.

The following text is taken directly from Historic England which provides in detail the Interior and Exterior:

EXTERIOR: Portland stone on steel frame. Large square block in classical style. Seven storeys, with mezzanine, attic, and basement, end bays of four storeys. Eleven bays and rusticated canted corner bays; eleven- bay returns. Rusticated ground floor. Centre giant round arch with keystone and coffering, balcony above to three central windows; another entrance to left with cornice. Three round-arched windows to right and one to left with keystones and carved tympana. Arms on flat band over third floor, rich frieze and cornice over fourth floor. Mezzanine above with Greek key band. Bronze doors in low relief.

INTERIOR: Main doorway flanked by identical relief sculpture panels, the flat, linear style is influenced by the Paris Exhibition of 1925. These depict Liverpool as Neptune, accompanied by African children carrying bags of money, with anchor and weighing-scales. Above, grasshoppers, the sign of Martins Bank. The frieze of the entrance hall shows tribute bearers pouring coins into central receptacle. The entrance hall leads to large top-lit banking hall, with vaulted arcades on four sides, the columns hollow, threaded on to the frame. Travertine walls, floor, and columns. Circular corner lobbies. Curved counter in centre; light fittings, desks, and war memorial. The design of every detail was overseen by Rowse.

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As previously mentioned, the history of Martins Bank is supposed to have been founded by Sir Thomas Gresham – evidence of this on the building is still there. The Grasshoppers on the Water Street entrance are still there to this day. The building was required to replace 7 Water Street due to limitations on the service it could provide.

Construction of Martins Bank started in 1927 and the architect who oversaw this was Herbert J Rowse. The building is built in Portland stone on a steel frame and is similar in design to that of India Buildings.

Liverpool was a major slaving port. This is recorded in Liverpool’s history and there is no denying that this happened. Personal wealth from slaving paved the way for the city’s foundations for growth of the Port’s future. But what does Martins Bank have to do with slaves? The main doorway relief showing Neptune are accompanied, as stated above, by African children carrying bags of money.

Does Martins Bank have direct links with the slave trade? Why would the Bank provoke controversy in designing these sculptures? Past historians have seen them as dignifying, or at least accepting the role of slavery in Liverpool. Other historian’s review these sculptures and accept that Liverpool did play a part in the slave trade. Should these relief designs be removed as much as the sign for Penny Lane? One needs to visit and study this building to make up their own mind.

The controversy in designing this has been discussed since the foundation stone of the building, and yet there will be much written in the future on Liverpool’s slave trade as more information is discovered.

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

There are few people who could describe the interior of Martins Bank. Although this building only closed in 2009, the interior has been lost to the memory of those who once worked or traded in the Bank. Yet this is one of Liverpool’s absolute hidden treasures!

Having viewed the exterior of the building, with its 9 floors above ground level, (plus a mezzanine, and 3 floors below with foundations 50ft under the building), one is thrown straight in to the opulence of the banking hall, which has long been a talking point as main feature of the building.

One can walk up the steps from the Water Street side entrance and push the heavy doors to gain access in to the rotunda. Even today with the building unused, the natural light pours in from the central lighting court. It was designed so that there would be as much natural light as possible for this area.

The ground floor is ‘one room’ and measures 90x56 foot of open space. The view is unspoilt in all directions by careful consideration from the Architect by the vast columns and arches spanning the hall. It is surrounded by double-vaulted, Italian styled, colonnades of great beauty of which other halls can be seen.

The public counter designed from purple Leventine, vert antico and black marble strikes the eye and reminds the viewer of the original feature of this building. The rotundas and principle areas of this building are also striking. The floors are finished with highly decorative stonework. They are opulent even under 10 years of dust. Viewing above one’s head, the plasterwork is of excellent design and sings out in blazes of colour. Gold, emerald green, and Indian Red.

Visiting the first floor, this was originally used by the Bank’s Admin offices. The Chairman’s windows were alongside Water Street on this level, as well as other offices and the conference room. The remaining floors were designed for tenantable office accommodation.

The boardroom is of special interest. The beamed walnut ceiling and marble chimney piece strikes the viewer of this room. Even though no boardroom meetings have taken place in this grand room for many years, the quality of the room and the intricate design speaks for itself as to what the room was used for.

Looking towards the ceiling, one cannot fail to be to be drawn to the various motifs, and yet even the carpet reflects this by repeating the beauty of the ceiling in the woven pile.

280 Tonnes of Gold. It is like a scene from 007’s Goldfinger, yet this was real life and it all happened in the basement area. With the bank vaults being directly under the main hall, the sub-basement was hewn out of sold bedrock. Also, in this area are the great oil tanks for heating of the building which each hold 7000 gallons.

At no point in the main hall are there any visible pipes. Plumbing arrangements are all dealt with behind the walls.

There have been little changes to the interior design since completion. William Moss were the original general contractors for the building and undertook all the works including the foundations, stonework, brickwork, reinforced concrete floors and the strong rooms.

Back in the 1970’s, the exterior walls were washed down to remove years of grime, and the ornamental gold/bronze grill for the serving counter was removed to be replace by a glass screen for additional security.

However, the legacy lives on. The building has been used for TV and film shots and it is a joy to see people’s faces when they first step in to the building and see the opulence of the grand entrance hall, ceilings and floors.

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

SELECTED IMAGES

The following images have been used for an overview of the interior and exterior of the building. Full source linking has been provided for each picture.

Showing Martins Bank from the Water Street entrance. Copyright www.martinsbank.co.uk

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

The Banking Hall – copyright www.martinsbank.co.uk

The Boardroom Suite – copyright www.martinsbank.co.uk

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

The Rotunda – copyright www.martinsbank.co.uk

The building prior to being cleaned – 1970’s. Copyright www.martinsbank.co.uk

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

The Grasshopper and Liver Bird – Exterior of Martins Bank – Copyright Pinterest.

A view of Martins Bank at Exchange Passage West – Copyright Mercury Press

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

Interior of the Grand Hall – Copyright Mercury Press

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

The Boardroom Suite – Copyright Mercury Press

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

The Rotunda – Copyright Mercury Press

Water Street Entrance – Copyright Google Maps

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

The identical relief sculpture panels – Copyright Jonathon Wild.

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

The Water Street side entrance – Copyright Jonathon Wild.

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

The inscription for Herbert J Rowse – Water Street – Copyright Jonathon Wild.

The blue plaque – Water Street – Copyright Jonathon Wild.

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

The grand main entrance – Water Street – Copyright Jonathon Wild.

Additional pictures can be found of the construction of Martins Bank via RIBA: https://www.architecture.com/image-library/ribapix/image-information/poster/marble-columns-being- manufacutured-for-the-new-headquarters-building-of-martins-bank-limited-water-s/posterid/RIBA7653.html https://www.architecture.com/image-library/ribapix/image-information/poster/new-headquarters-building-for- martins-bank-limited-water-street-liverpool-under-construction/posterid/RIBA7655.html https://www.architecture.com/image-library/ribapix/image-information/poster/new-headquarters-building-for- martins-bank-limited-water-street-liverpool-under-construction/posterid/RIBA7656.html https://www.architecture.com/image-library/ribapix/image-information/poster/new-headquarters-building-for- martins-bank-limited-water-street-liverpool-under-construction/posterid/RIBA7654.html

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

A rare picture showing the foundations of the building – taken from Water Street – Copyright www.martinsbank.co.uk

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Martins Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

The additional sculptures – Exchange Passage West – Copyright Jonathon Wild.

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