Burton-upon-Trent: Economic history

Copied from three quarters of the way down this page:- Pages 53-84

Banks

A bank established at Burton in the mid 1780s by Joseph Wilkes of Measham (Derb.), one of the lessees of the Trent navigation, probably closed after Joseph's death in 1805. Thomas and William Pycroft of Overseal (Leics.) were also recorded as Burton bankers in 1794. (fn. 1ac) Another bank, in existence by at least 1790, was founded by John Wilson, formerly a brewer, and Daniel Dalrymple (who married Diana, daughter of Jospeh Clay 1), an attorney. Wilson apparently withdrew from the partnership in 1792, but the bank lasted until Dalrymple's death in 1805. (fn. 2ac)

Blurton's bank, in existence by 1805, was founded by Robert Blurton of Woodford, together with John Webb of Barton-under-Needwood, John Holland of Burton Blount (Derb.), and Robert Cooper of Burton. Cooper was probably responsible for running the bank, which in 1812 stood at the corner of High Street and Bank Square. (fn. 3ac) It was run as Blurton, Webb, Peel, and Co. by 1837 following Robert John Peel's entry into the partnership. (fn. 4ac)

By 1818 Joseph Clay, a brewer, and his son Henry had established a bank in their house at the corner of Horninglow Street and High Street. (fn. 5ab) Joseph died in 1824 and the bank was carried on by Henry until 1839, when it was amalgamated with Blurton's bank. (fn. 6ab)

The new bank formed in 1839 was known as the Burton, Uttoxeter, and Stafford Union Bank until 1843, when it became the Burton, Uttoxeter, and Ashbourne Union Bank. At first it used Blurton's bank premises, but in 1854 it opened a new building further north in High Street. (fn. 7ab)

National Banks 
In 1899 the Union Bank was taken over by Lloyds Bank, which had opened a branch elsewhere in High Street in 1876. (fn. 8ab) Lloyds TSB continued to occupy the former Union bank building in 2000.

Other national banks opened branches in the town in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The National Provincial Bank opened one branch in High Street in 1877, as did Parr's Bank (from 1923 the Westminster Bank) in 1899. Following the merger of those two banks in 1968, business was consolidated at the former National Provincial branch, still open in 2000. (fn. 9aa) The London City and Midland Bank had a branch in Station Street by 1900 and as the Midland Bank it opened new premises in High Street in 1924. (fn. 10aa) Barclay's Bank also opened a branch in High Street in 1924, and Martin's Bank opened one at the east end of Station Street in 1956. After those two banks merged in 1969, the High Street branch was closed, but Barclay's continued trading at the Station Street branch in 2000. (fn. 11z)

Lawyers 

 . . . 

Daniel Dalrymple (who married Diana, daughter of Jospeh Clay 1) was working as an attorney in Burton by 1772 and had entered into a partnership with William Osborne by 1794. (fn. 5ac) After Dalrymple's death in 1805, Osborne apparently continued the practice alone until the late 1820s when he was in a partnership with James Drewry in High Street. (fn. 6ac) Osborne evidently retired before 1834 but the practice was carried on until at least 1846 by Drewry, (fn. 7ac) who had probably retired by 1851 when he was living in Newton Solney (Derb.). (fn. 8ac)

---oOo---