In early December 1924, two adverts for banks appeared in the Gazette. They are both names which are still recognisable today.

The Tiverton & District Directory of 1923, which we hold in our Library, indicates that as well as these two banks there were branches of the National Provincial, the London Joint City and Midland Bank and the Devon and Exeter Savings Bank. Also listed is a ‘private’ bank, Fox, Fowler & Co which had been founded by serge maker, Thomas Fox in Wellington in 1787. In 1921, this bank merged with Lloyds but still had a branch operating in Tiverton.

The Directory doesn’t give the addresses of the banks but does list the names of the Bank Managers. R C Burston managed the Westminster Bank and J Scott-Evans was in charge at Lloyds. The 1921 census shows Richard Chave Burston living with his wife and 5 children at Bank House, Fore Street. This is the building which was occupied by NatWest until it shut in October 2023. The census also shows Claude Scott Evans (Lloyds) and Frederick John Brown (Lloyds Bank, Fox’s branch) living ‘over the shop’ at 42 and 35 Fore Street respectively.

Written by Museum Volunteer, Sue B