Mount Florida in Glasgow boasted various privately owned food shops in 1955, some with their delivery bikes rowed up outside. The Handy Stores, though, looks like it could conjure up anything else shoppers might need
The Shields Road branch of the Royal Bank Of Scotland in 1930 was fairly typical of any bank office found in Glasgow at the time – wide, open counters, ledgers and staff poring over them checking every pound, shilling and pence.
Well, they wouldn’t be allowed to go home for the evening until every book balanced and every penny was accounted for.
It’s library-like hush would make it seem an imposing office to enter but the bank manager was the customer’s friend, making sure that any loans weren’t unreasonable sums for the borrower to repay and helping them keep
on the right side of debt collectors.
The manager would be in his office, or wining and dining selected customers with his chance to be a Captain
Mainwaring in the citys’ own Dad’s Army almost a decade away – but that’s
another story.
It’s also a scene that changed little for years until technology took over and profit became dictator rather than king.
And it’s a far cry from the “meeters and greeters” at the door of many bank branches now with their offers to buy extra products made during many counter transactions.
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