Family house became home to town’s money
THIS week we take a look back at what is now the Royal Bank of Scotland, comprised of four interconnected bank buildings.
The team at Touchstones have provided us with photographs and an old article depicting the history of the bank.
The original building was a house built by Joseph Tomlinson for the Vavasour Family.
It was leased by William Rawlinson and established as William and Christopher Rawson & Co’s bank in 1819.
This led to three other banks opening in Rochdale between 1818 and 1819.
The large ‘Banking House’ became the residence of the Thomas Rawson family, and the bank was run from an adjoining annex, a small stone building in the Greek Revival style, tucked into the ginnel of The Butts Avenue.
The bank was sold to Clement Royds in 1927 and Royds & Co became an important Rochdale Georgian banks, even printing its own money.
The bank was rebuilt in 1879 and became a purpose-built banking house, designed by Rochdale architect James Cheetham.
It was sold to the Manchester and Salford Bank in 1881, then later merged with William Deacon’s, a London bank.
The banking house was redesigned by Cecil Jackson in 1913, to become the large Portland stone building which can be seen today.
It was extended forwards, with the old banking house remaining behind the new facade, and became the first building to be listed in Rochdale - even before the town hall.
This piece was published in the Observer on Saturday, May 24, 1913:
“Changing Rochdale, an old house to be pulled down.
“Above we reproduce a sketch by Mr. Harold Burrill of Urmston of ‘The Butts’ House, which is to be pulled down shortly in order to permit of extensions being made to William Deacon’s Bank.
“The bank was originally a branch of Messrs JW & C Rawson and Co of Halifax and in 1827 it was purchased by Mr Clement Royds, the grandfather of Sir Clement.
“It was carried on by Messrs Clement Royds & Co until 1881, when it was amalgamated with the Manchester and Salford Bank.
“Afterwards the William Deacon’s Bank joined the amalgamation which is now known by that name.
“The Bank House and garden has in recent years formed a link with the past in the middle of its modern surroundings, and its demolition will remove an old local landmark.”