Hammond, Plumptre, & Co., the Canterbury bank

 

As well as being land-owners, the Hammonds of St. Alban’s Court and the Plumptres of Fredville were also partners in a Canterbury bank. The first Hammond became a partner in the Canterbury Bank  on the death of Henry Gipps in 1800, and by 1818 the bank was called Hammond, Plumptre, Furley, Hilton & McMaster, but generally known as the Canterbury Bank. However, over the years the bank was also variously referred to as: Plumptre, Hammond & Co.; Hammond, Plumptre & Co; or simply Hammond & Co.

By 1830 the bank’s partners were: William Osmond Hammond, John Pembleton Plumptre, Deane John Parker and John Furley. Fifteen years later the Bankers Magazine recorded that the banks partners were by then:William Osmund Hammond, of St. Alban’s Court, Nonington, Kent;  John Pemberton Plumptre, of Fredville, Nonington, and M.P. for Kent; John Furley, of Canterbury, who had replaced the late William Foord Hinton; and William Henry Furley, of Canterbury.

Some five or so years later the banks partners were recorded as: William Osmond Hammond, St. Alban’s Court, Nonington, Kent, Esquire; John Pemberton Plumptre, Fredville, Nonington, Esquire; William Henry Furley, Canterbury, Esquire; Thomas Hilton, Nackington House, near Canterbury, Esquire; and John Furley, Jun.,Canterbury, Esquire.

By the late 1880′s Hammond & Co’s Canterbury Bank were at 51, High Street on the corner of the High Street and St. Margaret’s Street, with George Furley and McMaster as managers. The bank must have prospered as in 1888 new premises designed by John Green Hall where built on the site. There were many buildings by John Green Hall in Canterbury but the Canterbury bank is said to be his finest work. Sadly he never saw it completed as he sadly died during its construction. These premises are now the present Lloyds Bank building  The 1901 census for the Parish of Nonington record that both Charles J. Plumptre of Fredville, the nephew of John Pembleton Plumptre, and William Oxenden Hammond, the son of William Osmond Hammond, as both being a “partner in bank”.

 

In early 1903 Kelly’s Directory for Kent reported in its Canterbury section: “There are three banks , viz: the Canterbury bank, carried on under the firm of Hammond, Plumptre, Hilton, McMaster & Furley, and branches of the London and County Banking Company and Lloyds Bank.” However, this was soon to change as later that year Capital & Counties Bank took over Hammond & Co., and in turn Capital & Counties Bank were themselves acquired by Lloyd’s Bank in 1918.