Bankers Clearing House Sculpture - Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK
N 52° 57.845 W 002° 12.182
30U E 553528 N 5868572
The Embryo Man Sculpture to commemorate the Bankers Clearing House being at Trentham during the Second World War, is located in the gardens of the Trentham Estate on Stone Road in Trentham.
Waymark Code: WM16YD0
Location: West Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/30/2022
Views: 3
The Embryo Man Sculpture is located in the gardens of the Trentham Estate on Stone Road in Trentham. It commemorates the transfer of the clearing banks to Trentham during the Second World War.
"In 1976 the sculpture by Robert Berkoff was erected in Trentham Gardens, Trentham (a suburb of Stoke-on-Trent) to commemorate the transfer of the clearing banks in WW2.
Trentham Gardens is the site of a grand country house and estate. The Central Clearing House functions were run from the ballroom and banqueting suite, 1939-46. "Space in the new site was divided up according to the number of clearing articles handled by each bank. The big five (Barclays Bank, Lloyds Bank, Midland Bank, National Provincial Bank and Westminster Bank) found themselves on the dance floor, one of the smaller members took the stage, another was based in an outbuilding and the Bank of England was above the kitchen."
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The sculpture has seven sides and represents the rim of a 50p coin. It sits on one side and the crests of the clearing banks of the time, set against a bubble-type background, can be seen on the other six sides. The figure of Embryo Man is situated inside the coin is in a semi-foetal position with the knees tucked up near the chin.
It symbolises the all-embracing concern of the clearing banks for the financial well-being of their customers.
The crests/arms of the banks of the time, that can be seen on the sculpture are those of,
The arms of National Provincial Bank
The arms of the former Westminster Bank
(On 1st January 1970, Westminster Bank merged with
National Provincial Bank Ltd. to form National Westminster Bank Ltd)
The logo of Lloyds Bank
(The black horse device dates from 1677 when Humphrey Stokes adopted it as sign for his shop.
Stokes was a goldsmith and "keeper of the running cashes," an early term for banker.
When the bank took over the site in 1884, it retained the black horse as its symbol.)
The logo of The Bank of England
The arms of the former Midland Bank
(A golden griffin surrounded by golden dots.)
The logo of Martins Bank
The logo of Barclays Bank
(In 1969 Martins Bank was taken over by Barclays.)
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The three plaques located on the plinth of the sculpture give the following information;
1.
THE BANKERS' CLEARING HOUSE
WAS TRANSFERRED TO
TRENTHAM GARDENS FOR
THE DURATION OF THE 1939/45 WAR
AND IN COMMEMORATION THIS STATUE
WAS PRESENTED ON BEHALF OF THE
COMMITTEE OF LONDON CLEARING
BANKERS BY SIR ERIC FAULKNER ON
24TH FEBRUARY 1976
2.
THIS STATUE REPRESENTS THE RIM
OF A 50p COIN WITH THE CRESTS OF
THE CLEARING BANKS OF THE TIME
SHOWN ON THE VISIBLE SIDES
AND ENVELOPING EMBRYO MAN
IT SYMBOLISES THE ALL-EMBRASSING
CONCERN OF THE CLEARING BANKS
FOR THE FINANCIAL WELL-BEING
OF THEIR CUSTOMERS
3.
THE RESTORATION OF THIS STATUE
WAS FUNDED BY
BANK OF ENGLAND
BARCLAYS BANK PLC
LLOYDS BANK PLC
MIDLAND BANK PLC
NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK PLC
THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC
DECEMBER 1995 'The gardens at the Trentham Estate were the site of the Trentham Ballroom, which opened in 1931 and closed in 2002. During the Second World War it was used by the Bankers' Clearing House for the clearing of the country's cheques. In the 1960s and 1970s many dance, rock and pop bands performed at Trentham Ballroom, including The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Who, Iron Maiden and Led Zeppelin. The ballroom also hosted degree ceremonies for North Staffordshire Polytechnic.'
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