Birmingham Municipal Bank:
Rules and Regulations - 1919
In J P Hilton's book Britain's First Municipal Savings Bank -
Part 2 Chapter 3 (Preparations for Opening the Municipal Bank) commences:
In
intelligent anticipation of Parliamentary powers being granted, the Council at their meeting on the 29th July, 1919, approved of draft
rules, and authorised the Bank Committee to take such steps as were necessary to start the new Bank as early as possible. The Royal
Assent was given on the 15th August, 1919, the regulations were issued by the Treasury on the 25th August, the rules approved by the
Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies on the 27th August and by the Treasury on the 28th August.
The committee lost no time in setting
about it - in fact, they set up a record for Municipal hustle, and on the 1st September, 1919, the Bank was opened with a Head Office
and seventeen branches.
The Rules and Regulations referred to by J P Hilton were published in two separate books:
Rules for the Birmingham Municipal Bank
This small booklet contained 78 rules under four section headings:
Rule 17 specified that on making his first deposit, every depositor should receive a pass book, together with a copy
of the rules. The Rule also stated that 'For every such pass book and copy of the rules issued, the Committee of Management shall
be entitled to charge and recover from a depositor such inclusive sum as the Committee of Management may direct, but not exceeding
sixpence' (2½ new pence).
Rule 3 stated that a copy of the rules are to be supplied to any person on demand at a price not exceeding
sixpence (2½ new pence).
Savings and Housing Bank Regulations
Although a larger publication, this booklet contained only 28 regulations. One of them (number
19), however, incorporated much of the Trustee Savings Bank Regulations 1900, which is, therefore, probably the source of the detailed
rules referred to above.
The section headings for this booklet were: