NW	NE	HAY MILLS	22	16th
SW	SE	1176 Coventry Road, Birmingham B25 8DA 021-772 0963	T	1925

Hay Mills became the Bank's sixteenth permanent branch, as described in Britain's First Municipal Savings Bank:
This branch was opened in shop premises situate at No. 1087 Coventry Road on the 1st September, 1919. The shop had been used as a hand-laundry, and while being on the small side it was better than some premises we had used in some other districts. At the commencement the branch was open every Monday, Friday and Saturday evening until the 22nd October, 1920, when daily openings were arranged. This change did not, however, prove a success, and on the 8th August, 1921, we altered the attendances to Tuesdays, with Monday and Saturday evenings in addition. For some reason the branch did not 'take on', and the committee arrived at the conclusion that it was not in the most convenient spot and that other premises should be obtained. Two shops at Nos. 1176 and 1178 Coventry Road, were purchased and reconstructed.
For the third time we had a lady opener, the Lady Mayoress (Mrs. Percival Bower) performing the opening ceremony on the 21st March, 1925. It was very gratifying to have her with us on this occasion, because she had been prevented from discharging many of her duties as Lady Mayoress owing to ill-health, and her presence that day was regarded as a sign of improving health.
Speaking on this occasion, the Lord Mayor said Hay Mills was a district which ought to stand well in the records, and while it had not shown that rate of growth which other areas had, he thought the lack of adequate premises might have something to do with it. The new premises would be an incentive to the residents to place the branch in a high position amongst the branches of the Bank.

 

On the night of August 15/16th 1940, the branch sustained slight War Damage during an air raid. During part of the Second World War, the branch was one of twenty-two offices that were opened on a restricted basis due to a shortage of staff. Details at Combination of Branches.

 

NOTES:

right:

1176 & 1178 Coventry Road, prior to reconstruction

above:

right: The permanent branch after the reconstruction

left:

The crowd entering the branch after
the official opening ceremony

above:

Part of the parish of Yardley, Hay Mills became a part of Birmingham in 1911 - the district is located 3½-miles east of the city centre, on the Coventry Road - an important regional highway that historically provided access to London for Birmingham's merchants. By the end of the 19th-century, the south side of this road was built up, and by 1911 there was considerable urban development, although Hay Mills was still separated from its neighbour - Small Heath.

 

A mixture of industry and working-class housing dominated Hay Mills as urbanisation of the area was completed after the First World War - major employers being Webster & Horsefall Wireworks and Reynolds Tube.