The Bank of England

Bank of England 1908
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The "Bank" has occupied this site since the late seventeenth century. Although you cannot see from either this view or indeed from the street, there is an exquisite garden and lawn in the centre! The Bank underwent an extensive building programme between the time of this photograph and the second world war. There are now five floors and also three levels of vaults (I do hope that I am not giving away any secrets here!). I started my career in banking with The Bank of England in 1963. It was quite awe inspiring as a teenager to enter the massive front door being held open by a top hatted "Bank Messenger" dressed smartly in a pink coloured morning coat. He would gently tip the brow of his top hat and say "Good Morning Sir!". He only raised his topper when the Governor entered! Relics of the very early 1900's still remained in the Bank when I began work in 1963.  Many of the vaults had telephones installed and unbelievably these were the old fashioned "candlestick" design! It was difficult to remember to hold the separate parts of the phone to ear and mouth!  I recall the weekly deliveries of gold bullion each Wednesday which came on the Union Castle Line I think and docked at Southampton - the bullion was then transferred to an armoured train and taken to Waterloo and then by security van to The Bank's rear bullion entrance. Security precautions were evident everywhere. In the 1960's a picket of Army sentries was provided every night so each time I worked overtime I needed to have a password to reply to the sentries' challenge! I worked in this headquarters of the Bank and also in branches of the Bank in Manchester and Glasgow but left in 1980 to work in another bank. Happy Days! - John Howard Norfolk