Maybe
HSBC is splitting off its UK retail banking chain, with an (as yet) name to be decided and headquarters in Birming-ham. Have to resurrect the Midland name don't they?
Banking is splitting up again TSB is back after disappearing, so whats next. Martins Bank? Westminster Bank? National and Provincial? Williams and Glynn?
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I understand RBS branches south of the border will become Williams & Glynn sometime soonish. Natwest branches in Scotland too. Think Barclays will revive the Martins name?
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>> I understand RBS branches south of the border will become Williams & Glynn sometime soonish.
>> Natwest branches in Scotland too. Think Barclays will revive the Martins name?
I'd guess not.
Williams & Glyn in its last incarnation was Williams & Glyn's. Further depredation of the apostrophe.
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>> Williams & Glyn in its last incarnation was Williams & Glyn's. Further depredation of the
>> apostrophe.
>>
The name is not very old:
"Williams & Glyn's Bank Limited was established in London in 1970, when the Royal Bank of Scotland merged its two subsidiaries in England and Wales, Williams Deacon's Bank Ltd. and Glyn, Mills & Co".
So it was more like an intrusive apostrophe.
There's a story about Lloyds bank in the early days, which originally had two Lloyds partners.
Hence Lloyds' Bank. Then when one partner dropped out it became Lloyd's Bank. Then when a new family member joined it was back to s'.
So they dropped the apostrophe nonsense and just called it Lloyds.
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In the feverish attempt in the 21st century to make a mark, as it were, it's only a matter of time before there is a "mobile app only bank" simply called '.
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More likely to use First Direct name I would think.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Tue 9 Jun 15 at 22:20
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>> More likely to use Fist Direct name I would think.
Get fisted by your bank first? Very apt.
DAMN you fixed the error before i could block it.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 9 Jun 15 at 22:21
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>> Williams & Glyn in its last incarnation was Williams & Glyn'
But it is coming back by the end of 2016.
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>> >> Williams & Glyn in its last incarnation was Williams & Glyn'
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>> But it is coming back by the end of 2016.
Yes, the question was about Martin's.
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>> The Swallow Bank?
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Been watching Dad's Army?
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Only three branches, Warmington on Sea, Westgate and Hastings.
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>> Only three branches, Warmington on Sea, Westgate and Hastings.
>>
Genuine question. One of the lines in the Dads (where does the apostrophe go if there is one?) Army theme tune goes: "Mr Brown goes off to town on the A21". I think this implies that working men of that era would commute by car to the City of London from the Hastings area.
That seems a long way on poor roads in unreliable old cars - not something I'd imagine many people would have contemplated doing on a daily basis, especially at a time when time keeping, punctuality and reliability must have been paramount in the work place. Was the A21 even named such in the late 30s/early 40s?
Is that line in the lyric realistic? Was such a thing commonplace? Perhaps the "veterans" of the forum could comment.
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>> Genuine question. One of the lines in the Dads (where does the apostrophe go if
>> there is one?) Army theme tune goes: "Mr Brown goes off to town on the
>> A21". I think this implies that working men of that era would commute by car
>> to the City of London from the Hastings area.
>>
I always heard it as "on the 8:21"
my ears were better in those days
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>> Yes indeed, 8:21.
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Ha ha, thanks. Whaddaya know. Car bore hearing things he wants to hear.
So the question is obviously void, but it gives me another interesting one: could one catch a train in Hastings at 8:21 and be sitting at a desk in a City office for 9am? Seems mighty quick.
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Google yields not much. But here's a 1922 timetable showing London to Hastings - two and a half to four hours, as best as I can tell. You need good eyesight.
www.disused-stations.org.uk/d/dungeness/
Last edited by: Crankcase on Wed 10 Jun 15 at 12:56
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>> So the question is obviously void, but it gives me another interesting one: could one
>> catch a train in Hastings at 8:21 and be sitting at a desk in a
>> City office for 9am? Seems mighty quick.
Assuming that Walmington on Sea is in the Eastbourne/Hasting areas, that Mr Jones works within a 10 minute walk of Charing Cross, and we take into account routes and services exploiting pre Beaching cuts, the answer is - NFC!
Interestingly tho, suburban and home counties commuting times have not improved much since the 50s. Only long distance expresses have improved.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 10 Jun 15 at 15:42
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>> Interestingly tho, suburban and home counties commuting times have not improved much since the 50s.
Not improved much!?!? Not improved at all, more like.
Reading / Goring is a prime example.
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Do we have a huge assumption that "into town" means London rather than any other large town in Kent.
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From Hastings, I think it would be "up to the city"?
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Three thoughts:
1. If Mr Brown was a City gent, would he start work as early as 0900?
2. Was Mr Brown even going to work? Yes, 'But he comes home each evening' suggests a regular trip, but most of the platoon were past retirement age, so why not him too? Perhaps work is just what he told Mrs Brown.
3. 6.51 or 7.21 wouldn't fit the song.
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>> From Hastings, I think it would be "up to the city"?
Lines to London are "UP", everything else is "Down", Even lines miles and miles away that join a line to London. So its Down to Glasgow or Edinboro'
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Although the theme tune was written for the series it was, according to Wiki. to be a pastiche on wartime songs and in line with the original Flanagan/Allen stuff.
Is there any evidence that Mr Brown is a resident of Walmington and not a generic London commuter, perhaps from the suburbs, who joins his local Home Guard?
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>> Is there any evidence that Mr Brown is a resident of Walmington and not a
>> generic London commuter, perhaps from the suburbs, who joins his local Home Guard?
Apart from a: being written for the series and b: the series being based on the south coast home guard you mean?
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>> Apart from a: being written for the series and b: the series being based on
>> the south coast home guard you mean?
Yes. If the piece is intended to sit alongside the other wartime Flanagan/Allen stuff its doesn't need to reflect Walmington does it?
But I'm just chucking in an idea.
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>> So the question is obviously void, but it gives me another interesting one: could one
>> catch a train in Hastings at 8:21 and be sitting at a desk in a
>> City office for 9am? Seems mighty quick.
>>
Who says it's a train? I always assumed it was a bus, into the local town.
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Because typically buses are referred to by their number and trains by their time.
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>> Because typically buses are referred to by their number and trains by their time.
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Ah, thank you.
As you can tell I'm not good on public transport.
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If he was going to London by train he would surely be going "up to town" rather than "off to".
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Who do you think you are kidding, Mr. Hitler?
If you think we’re on the run...
We are the boys who will stop your little game!
We are the boys who will make you think again!
'Cause, who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler
If you think old England’s done?
Mr Brown goes off to town on the 8:21,
But he comes home each evening and he’s ready with his gun.
[The following verse was omitted from the broadcast theme tune.]
So watch out, tom
You have met your match in us.
If you think you can crush us.
We're afraid you've missed the bus.
'Cause who do you think you are kidding, Mr. Hitler
If you think old England’s done?
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>> Was the A21 even named such in the late 30s/early 40s?
>>
>> Is that line in the lyric realistic? Was such a thing commonplace? Perhaps the "veterans"
>> of the forum could comment.
>>
You learn something every day ! I have been watching Dads Army since I was a child and and at 52 still watch the DVD's sometimes and I have always thought to this day that it was "the A21"
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>> You learn something every day ! I have been watching Dads Army since I was
>> a child and and at 52 still watch the DVD's sometimes and I have always
>> thought to this day that it was "the A21"
>>
Glad I'm not the only deaf old post on here.
As a somewhat less interesting aside, my Grandmother was a good friend of Arthur Lowe's in their youth - Fulham man apparently. Mr Lowe visited my Grandparents in Windsor a few times but that was in my extreme youth and I don't recall meeting him even though my Grandparents lived next door. Thoroughly lovely and down to earth fellow, family legend has it.
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"I have been watching Dads Army since I was a child and and at 52 still watch the DVD's sometimes and I have always thought to this day that it was "the A21" ..."
- 'Scuze me while i kiss this guy' .....
There's a website for that ! (Pismononsiation and all that) !
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Been watching Dad's Army?
But not listening. Walmington on Sea and Eastgate, wasn't it?
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My favourite bit ever....
German U-boat Captain: I am making notes, Captain, and your name will go on the list; and when we win the war you will be brought to account.
Captain Mainwaring: You can write what you like, You're not going to win the war!
U-boat Captain: Oh yes we are.
Mainwaring: Oh no you're not.
U-boat Captain: Oh yes we are!
Pvt. Pike: [Singing] Whistle while you work, Hitler is a twerp, he's half-barmy, so's his army, whistle while you work!
U-boat Captain: Your name will also go on the list! What is it?
Mainwaring: Don't tell him Pike!
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The Midland Bank Returns. - Alastairw
