Building Plans - Maypole Branch
In 1939, the Bank purchased 550-square-yards of land at the corner of Alcester Road South
and Hawkhurst Road with the intention of providing branch facilities for the residents of the Maypole district. Those plans were disrupted
by the Second World War and, in 1943, a shop unit was rented nearby to provide temporary facilities. With that tenancy expiring in
1946, plans for a branch on the Bank's site were considered.
The plans were drawn up by Herbert J Manzoni, the City's Engineer & Surveyor in July 1946. They showed that the Bank's site was
to accommodate a temporary branch that was to be so located that it would be possible to construct a permanent building behind it
at a later date - this would allow business to be continued without interruption due to the construction work.
This Block Plan
was drawn at a scale of 1/500th.
Although the Bank's minutes state that the plot purchased measured 550-square-yards, the plans
note that the site is 524-square-yards.
The plan for the temporary branch appear to show that one of the wooden huts used by the Bank to test for demand, before contemplating
the expense of a permanent structure, is to be adapted. The adaption was probably considered necessary to provide more space than
that obtained in the standard hut.
The building measured approximately 36-feet by 15-feet.
The front elevation of the temporary branch compared with the actual building utilised.
Cross section drawing of hut.
Notes made on the architect's drawings include the following costs:
Electric Light
£45 including PC
£5 water connection
£59 services connection
The elevation to Alcester Road South of the proposed permanent building shows a somewhat grandiose structure compared with the Bank's
typical branch design. Such a large buildng must also have been out of keeping with the situation prevailing just after the end of
the Second World War.
Elevation to Hawkhurst Road.
This plan was not utilised when a permanent branch was constructed in 1966.
A note on the plans
gives details of the materials to be used for the permanent branch:
Roof - hand made tiles
Walls - Aldridge sand blast wire
cut
Stone - Hollington white with mottled bands