As the Sun Went Down on 26 February 2014

Hadleigh's NatWest bank closed its doors for the last time

In November 2013, NatWest’s Hadleigh customers received the disappointing news that their branch would be closing on 26th February 2014.

This branch was opened by London County Westminster & Parr’s Bank on 24th April 1922 as a sub-branch to the Leigh-on Sea branch. A ‘lock-up’ shop was leased from Thundersley & Co Motors Ltd and the branch began business in these premises.  The branch was originally only open on Mondays and Thursdays from 11.30am-2.30pm.  In 1923 the name of the bank was shortened to Westminster Bank, and the Hadleigh branch was rebranded accordingly.

In 1930 a plot of land was purchased in the London Road from General Higgins and purpose-built bank premises were constructed. The branch moved into the new premises (which in 2014 were still the current premises) on 2nd November 1934.  The branch was still a sub-branch to Leigh-on-Sea at that time, but was open daily in these new premises.  In around 1934 the name of the branch changed from Hadleigh Branch to Hadleigh Essex Branch.

In 1968 Westminster Bank and National Provincial Bank (which was established in 1833 as National Provincial Bank of England) along with National Provincial’s subsidiary, District Bank announced their intention to merge.  The operations of all three banks were combined over the following 18 months and they began to trade as National Westminster Bank from 1st January 1970.  (Together National Provincial and Westminster could trace their history back down the centuries through a lineage of prestigious constituents, dating back to the 1650s with the foundation of Smiths of Nottingham). The famous three arrowheads symbol was adopted as the new bank logo.  It is said to symbolise either the circulation of money in the financial system or the bank’s three constituents.

{We gratefully acknowledge receipt of information and kind assistance for the article from RBS Archives.}

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