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Birmingham Municipal Bank

Thanks for all your saver memories. I had a bluey-grey bank book from BMB, very faded thing with the big key on the front. My dad deposited some money into it, I think when I was born. Think the branch must have been the Kingstanding Road branch as that would have been the nearest office. However, I never 'matured' into a responsible saver, never adding any of my own cash to the account. So sadly his encouragement didn't really work it's magic on me. But I do think I'd have been more likely to have saved if I'd had one of those safes - that really appeals. So hence, this is why I've never got any dosh! Viv.
 
We had one of those big black "Municipal Bank" box's which weighed a ton to a little kid, but it never had more than 1/2 crown in it.
 
If this the one Paul and Jean? If like me you have nothing to put in it now, maybe it would make a good doorstop! I've seen them for sale on eBay for about £10 +. Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1393798759.269675.jpg
 
Funny it was the handle I remembered first. Bet it would have made a good door stop and probably did Viv. Thanks for the photo.
 
That is exactly the one Jean & Viv, the longer I am on the Forum the more I realise how much the cultural upbringing of our generation is very comparable, no matter where in the city you were raised. paul
 
As a nipper I used to be taken to the Municipal near the Maypole cinema. The bank was in a wooden building I remember.
My birth cert has "Presented to the Birmingham Municipal Bank" written in ink on the back. Can't think why.
 
Hi Maypolebaz. Maybe your certificate had that written on the back when your parents opened an account with BMB for you. Viv.
 
I remember the day mom took me to the branch on the Witton and I felt so grown up having my own bank account.
 
The branch I used on Stratford Road in Sparkbrook on what looks to be the opening day on September 1st 1919.
 

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It's interesting how the BMB seems to have been pretty advanced in it's thinking for the time. They seem to have helped make a previously unimaginable dream into a reality when they supported people to buy their own house. On Stephen's link, Cllr Appleby remarks at the Handsworth opening

"... no reason why every wage-earner in the city, should not have a banking account" and
“Instead of paying my money on a Friday night, pay to the credit at the bank.”

These two comments now seem incredible, as it Must be near impossible to do anything today without having a bank account. At the opening they also predicted: "there would result a great social movement, far reaching in its effect upon the lives of the humblest workers". How true. Viv.
 
I can't remember the exact time, but it was't till around the mid 1970's that you were paid by cheque in the army, and they had awful problems teaching young men who had only ever had cash about Banks and
using cheques ect, some of these lads came from family's where no one had ever had a bank account in their lives.
 
BMB back.jpg

Has anyone seen a Birmingham Municipal Bank money box like this one? I don't know if it belonged to me or my nephew. It seems very unusual. I will post a couple of other angles separately.
 
GG Jean, is that the bank at Witton Island? If so I remember going in there lots of times with my grandmother to pay in takings from the outdoor in Holt Road
 
Thank you Maria Magenta, never seen anything like this, must be from the 1970s shortly before the B M B was taken over. Very interesting...
 
paul stacey said:
I ....some of these lads came from family's where no one had ever had a bank account in their lives.
Click to expand...

Yes Paul. I think many people didn't trust banks either. Maybe they thought they could lose their money. Mind you, some banks have come close to that in more recent times.

Maria - that's some money box. Encouraging pictures to make you save ! A nice piece of BB history. Wonder what the 'F.K' stands for on the girl's suitcase? Maybe the artist? Viv.
 
Its does look like the Municiple was ahead of its time - with Maria's money boxes etc.
It always seemed to have a good "feel" to it to me ... in my young days as a lucky early saver.
And you did feel you were ahead of the game a bit - if you had a bank account - even in the 70's even.

Then, Bank managers seemed human and banks seemed strict and disciplined (which was okay by me).

40-50 yrs ago - in those days banks felt to me like pillars of society (may be I was just young and impressionable)
- its a pity how, today - feelings have changed towards them.
 
I have not long got back from visiting Birmingham Hidden Places The Former Municipal Bank Broad St, and I am now in the process of editing the photos, the one thing that did make me smile was that they were restricting the number of people allowed in the vault at one time ( quite right) and the method of counting the people the made there way to the vault was to count spoons I kid you not https://www.flickr.com/photos/dofartshavelumps/18800445398/in/dateposted-public/ a good day there though, more photos to follow
 
Thank you horsencart for posting all these beautiful photos.
I was intrigued by all those safety deposit boxes and I love those mottoes on the walls about thrift etc..
rosie.
 
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