Miss BMB

Miss BMB/BMTSB

An annual competition organised by the Bank's Staff Association's Socials Committee resulted in the appointment of one of the female members of the staff as 'Miss BMB'. The competion was later extended to also include a 'Mr BMB'. After 1976, these titles were amended from BMB to BMTSB.

The first competition results were reported in the staff magazine's (CONTACT) Summer 1973 edition, with the following appearing on the Ladies Page:

MISS BMB

As everyone must already know, Mrs Lynda Grinham of Head Office was voted to become the first Miss BMB on Saturday, 16th June at the Guild Club, Station Street.

Lynda collected a bouquet and a cheque for £10 for the honour of being chosen. She also goes forward as one of our representatives for the Miss Nalgo contest later this year.

The runners-up in the contest were Miss Caroline Guy and Mrs Gina Cullen, who each received cheques for being chosen in the first three.

I feel that everyone who attended the contest enjoyed the evening immensely, and special thanks must go to all the other contestants who entered, and we can only wish them better luck in next year's contest.

Carol M Gaffney,

Shard End Branch.

A photograph of Lynda (right) also appeared in CONTACT

(Newspaper cuttings from Christine Skett)

CONTACT: Summer 1974

The second Miss B.M.B. contest was held at the Guild Club on Saturday 18th May with 150 members and friends in attendance. The result was as follows:

1st Miss Sheila Golding

2nd Miss Collette Foxon

3rd Mrs Linda Ravenscroft

Sheila and Collette have both agreed to represent the Bank in the B.M.O.G. Personality of the Year Contest. Sheila will also be the Guest of Honour at the Annual Dance on November 16th at Penns Hall. Sheila’s prizes incidentally are a cheque for £10, a beautiful big spray of flowers and of course her own Branch received a portable radio.

The dance itself was a tremendous success and the added humour of a Mr. B.M.B. fancy dress really set the seal for one of the best social functions I have yet had the pleasure of organising. Incidentally, Phillip Whitehouse won the title and a pair of chest expanders (he needs ‘em too!)

I do however, report with regret, one sad note – the application for tickets reached 230 by the closing date. Strictly speaking the Guild Club will only seat 120 so 150 was the real limit meaning that some would have to stand. The system of ticket allocation was not easy to decide on, so the Social Committee decided to eliminate applications by:-

a) Restricting the applications of those who were bringing more than 3 guests per member.

b) Simple elimination by drawing names from a hat – witnessed by 2 Social Committee members.

Elimination (a) deleted 50 applications

Elimination (b) deleted 30 applications

I am very sorry that not everyone could be accommodated – I certainly don’t like telling anyone that they cannot have tickets.

Next year we shall certainly have another Mr. & Miss B.M.B. dance and I hope that Branches will nominate their Staff – after all just look at Sheila’s success inside 48 hours – a full length photo of Sheila on the front page of the ‘Evening Mail’

Well done Sheila.

D.R. Horner

Socials Chairman

The 1975 competition was publicised by the Social Committee's Chairman in the Christmas 1974 edition of CONTACT magazine:

MR and MISS BMB 1975

The above function will take place at the Guild Club during the year, depending entirely on support from members of the Staff. Branches are asked to nominate entrants for this contest which is proving a real success with the Press and provides us all with a wonderful night out.

Once again a circular will be distributed to all Branches inviting Competitors for both titles - the nominating Branch will receive a portable radio. Winners of Miss BMB receive cash prizes with the No 1 winner being the guest of honour at Penns Hall for the Annual Dance.

Mr BMB which is really a humourous fancy dress receives a surprise, this year Mr BMB was very good and all contestants entered into the spirit of the evening displaying a high quality of humour. (Ken Prentice our Football Secretary who cannot spel/spele/spel fooled us all by appearing in rags and tatters - we didn't realise he was in fancy dress).

Please give the function your support if not by competing then by attending.

Derek Horner (Socials Chairman)

The photograph (above - reproduced from the Christmas 1974 edition of CONTACT magazine) shows

Sheila Golding - Miss BMB 1974.

Other winners included Karen Mayers (Miss BMTSB 1977); and Kathy Kiely (Miss BMTSB 1978).

Lynda also appeared in these two cuttings taken from local newspaper coverage of the event. At the date of the event, Lynda was employed as a cashier at Head Office.

Twenty girls competed for the title, nine of them posing in the Hall of Memory gardens near the Bank's Broad Street Head Office (left to right):

- Sue Speakman

- Fay Gilbert

- Janet Vaughan

- Margaret Cunningham

- Colette Foxon

- Lynda Grinham

- Marion Price

- Jacquie Rose

- Jane Dunscombe