Martins Bank

Trading for much of its time under the name of “The Grasshopper”, Martins Bank was a London private bank that could trace its origins back to the London goldsmiths. Martins agreed to its acquisition by the Bank of Liverpool in 1914. The Bank of Liverpool wanted Martins to give it a London presence and a seat on the London Clearing House; the Martins name was retained in the title of the enlarged bank and the title was actually shortened to just Martins in 1928; however, the head office and managerial control remained firmly in Liverpool.