Barclays Bank: records of Lombard Street local head office

• Statistics for branches in the Lombard Street district 1896-1939, 1960-1978
• Inspection papers inc branch statistics, lists of advances, corporate depositors and account holders 1930-1954, 1968-1984
• Corporate and institutional account ledgers 1914
• Local director's correspondence 1960s

When the new joint stock bank called Barclay & Company Ltd. was incorporated in 1896, it was decided that the constituent banks which had come together in the historic merger of that year should each be designated as a local head office, in order to retain local goodwill and for the better administration of the new bank, in particular for approval of advances and relations with established customers.

The most important of these local districts was located at head office itself, 54 Lombard Street, dealing with customers of the original Barclays partners.

Lombard Street remained a small district - even by the 1970s controlling only twenty City branches, these being the most important for commercial banking in the heart of London.

In 1969 the local head office districts were grouped into regions and in 1987 the districts were replaced altogether by regional offices. Thereafter, as automation and centralisation of functions rendered their original purpose obsolete, the regional offices were themselves rationalised, and in 1999 effectively ceased to exist.

Barclays Group Archives is open to access for bona fide research visitors throughout the year, by appointment. E-mail: mailto: grouparchives@barclays.com Full contact details: Barclays Group Archives, Dallimore Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M23 9JA. Telephone 0330 1510159. Fax 0330 1510153

web: https://www.archive.barclays.com/

Access to some material may be restricted or closed for reasons of customer or commercial confidentiality.

Former historical records scetion of company secretary's office; subsequent accruals received from this office and from local head office.

Searchable catalogue available locally on BGA's 'Archives' database; bespoke lists may be generated from specific search requests.

Reproduction or publication of records subject to the written permission of an archivist.

Barclays had a historical records section in head office from at least the 1960s, managed by an official with the title of archivist. In 1989 the first professionally trained archivist was appointed, with the remit of centralising historical records and collecting additional material deemed worthy of permanent preservation.

Records classified as having been produced by the branch at 54 Lombard Street are described in a separate collection level entry: see GB 2044 C LOMBARD STREET 54.

The official published histories of Barclays, especially the most recent volume, are based largely upon the archives:

• M Ackrill & L Hannah, Barclays: the business of banking 1690-1996 (Cambridge: University Press 2001); this volume won the Wadsworth Prize for business history
• P W Matthews & A W Tuke, History of Barclays Bank Limited: including the many private and joint stock banks amalgamated with it (Blades, East & Blades 1926)
• A W Tuke and R J H Gillman, Barclays Bank Limited 1926-1969 (Barclays Bank Ltd. 1972)