Traces Of Old York

Some bloggers note this as now on the outside of a Starbucks outlet on Coney Street, and that it was a former NatWest Bank. That is sort of correct...

"In terms of branches - 37 at the end - Becketts were the largest private provincial bank, but its origins are something of a mystery, not only to us, but to the bank itself. In 1832, the then senior partner stated that his bank was fifty-eight years old, which is clearly incorrect. Some of its banknotes had "Established 1758" as part of their design. Years later, the standard cheque form showed 1750 as a start date, although the evidence, if any, has not survived. Perhaps it was considered a good round date that was probably about right.

Whatever the date, it is clear that the first partners were Thomas Lodge, a woollen merchant, and John Arthington, linen draper, both of Leeds. A Beckett was a junior partner before 1772. Lodge died in 1778, a Mr Wilson becoming senior partner until 1790, when the Beckett family took over this role for the rest of the bank's career: it was absorbed by the Westminster Bank in 1920. Between 1778 and 1808 other partners are Calverley and Blaydes."

And there's a Leeds link in there too [Extra]

Courtesy of The British Banking History Society © 2018