National Provincial Bank of England
Established 1833.
Preparatory work to establish a bank called Royal Bank began on the instigation of Thomas Joplin in 1828. By 1833 a provisional committee was meeting regularly and the bank's name was changed to National Provincial Bank of England. Shares were allocated and a deed of settlement signed in 1833. The bank's policy was to open branches in England and Wales outside the 65-mile limit around London so it could issue its own banknotes, with a purely administrative head office situated in London. The first branch was opened in Gloucester in 1834, followed by branches in Brecon, Walsall, Birmingham, Wotton under Edge, Boston and Wisbech, the aim being a bank with a national rather than regional branch network.
Paid-up capital in 1834 was £101,500. By mid-1835 20 branches and sub-branches had been opened but the original principle of the semi-autonomous branch with its own local shareholders proved unworkable and was abandoned. Daniel Robertson was appointed the first general manager, and he continued in this post until 1863. By 1865 the bank had 122 branches, many of which were established through the acquisition of small private and joint stock country banks including: Rottons & Scholefields of Birmingham in 1834; Bloxsome & Co of Dursley in 1835; Bristol City Bank branch of Northern & Central Bank in 1835; Pyke, Scott & Co of Barnstaple in 1836; Vye & Harris of Ilfracombe in 1836; William Skinner & Co of Stockton in 1836; Husband & Co of Devonport in 1839; Lichfield, Rugeley & Tamworth Banking Co in 1838; Harris & Co of Dartmouth in 1840; Hulke, Dixon & Co of Deal in 1840; Fryer, Andrews & Co of Wimborne in 1840; Fector & Co of Dover in 1841; Cole, Holroyd & Co of Exeter in 1842; Pretor, Pew & Co of Sherbourne in 1843; Loveband & Co of Torrington in 1843; Ley & Co of Bideford in 1843; Isle of Wight Joint Stock Bank of Newport in 1844; Stockton & Durham County Bank of Stockton in 1846; Thomas Kinnersly & Sons of Newcastle-under-Lyme in 1855; William Moore of Stone in 1858; Crawshay, Bailey & Co of Abergavenny in 1868; and David Morris & Sons of Carmarthen in 1871.
In 1866 a new head office was opened in Bishopsgate, City of London, where the first London branch was also established, obliging the bank to give up its note issue. Bank of Leeds Ltd was acquired in 1878 followed by County of Stafford Bank Ltd in 1899 and Knaresborough & Claro Banking Co Ltd in 1903. Limited liability was assumed in 1880 as National Provincial Bank of England Ltd. Paid-up capital grew from £450,000 in 1853, to £1.08 million in 1866, to £1.68 million in 1878 and to £3 million in 1905. By 1900 the bank had around 200 branches. A half share in Lloyds Bank (France) Ltd was acquired in 1918. This bank was renamed Lloyds & National Provincial Foreign Bank Ltd in 1919 and had branches in London, France, Belgium and Switzerland.