Williams & Glyn's Bank Ltd

Williams & Glyn's Bank was formed to enable National & Commercial Banking Group to rationalise its holdings by merging three constituents: Williams Deacon's Bank; Glyn, Mills & Co; and the English and Welsh branches of The National Bank. From 1970 all the 326 constituent branches began trading as part of Williams & Glyn's Bank.

In mid-1974 Williams & Glyn's was the first clearing bank to introduce free banking for personal accounts in credit. It advertised itself as a friendly bank - an alternative to the larger high street banks - with shorter lines of command and a flexible approach to clients' financial problems. The approach had wide appeal and the business proved successful and expanded rapidly. Products like the Nest Egg Plan savings scheme and Masterguard insurance were launched and its merchant banking activities were expanded. In 1972 Williams & Glyn's Bank joined with five other European banks to form the Inter Alpha Banks Group to exploit opportunities in the European Economic Community. In 1985 The Royal Bank of Scotland Group's two major subsidiary holdings, Williams & Glyn's Bank and The Royal Bank of Scotland, were fully merged as The Royal Bank of Scotland plc.

Branches: The bank had 326 branches throughout England and Wales when it was formed by the merger of three existing banks in 1970. It opened 66 branches and sub-branches between 1970 and 1985, while closing others. In 1985 332 branches were operating.

Summary of our archive holdings

Our archival records of Williams & Glyn’s Bank Ltd have the reference code WG.

For help understanding words used here, check our glossary of banking record types (PDF 68 KB).

Corporate/partnership records

• directors’ meeting minute books 1969-(1985)
• memorandum and articles of association: 1969-72, subsidiaries 1969-70
• certificates of incorporation 1969-85
• papers re corporate planning 1969-80
• Williams & Glyn's Bank Act 1970
• draft of Williams & Glyn's Bank (Jersey) Law 1970
• monthly banking statistics 1970
• directors’ meeting minute book of leasing company 1971-(1985)
• papers re insurance consultants 1971
• directors’ conference minutes 1972-4
• Corporate/partnership records
• annual reports 1970-84

Customer records

• papers re notepaper and cheque designs 1969

Head office branch records

• plans, reports, correspondence etc re Northern Division branches 1970-82
• circulars 1970-(1985)

Staff records

• sheets re conditions of service c.1969
• staff leaflets re recruitment, profit share etc 1970s-80s
• staff training materials 1970s
• Wagstaff in-house magazine 1971-83
• papers re large town allowance 1971
• papers re pensions reunion 1972-80
• report to staff 1977

Property records

• premises ledgers 1970-3
• branch photographs 1970-80s
• branch architectural drawings 1970-85

Marketing records

• promotional leaflets 1970s-80s
• papers re student promotions 1970-83
• general marketing division papers 1970-1
• booklets re advertising campaigns 1979-82

Summary of archive holdings elsewhere

• Bank of England Archive: Governor’s file re bank mergers, incl the formation of Williams & Glyn’s Bank 1967-70 (Ref G1/490)