Undoubtedly one of Newcastle's greatest architectural assets is the Lloyd's Bank on the junction of Market Street and Grey Street.

It was built at the end of the 1830s for Richard Grainger as part of his grand urban development. It stands on the site of Anderson Place, Newcastle's largest and grandest mansion which Grainger bought and demolished to make way.

It is very likely Benjamin Green who designed this particular building. He also designed the Theatre Royal and was one of the most important architects in the north alongside his father John.

This was the home of the Northumberland & District Bank from 1839. They had commenced operations from 1836 as a joint stock operation - coincidentally pioneered here by Thomas Joplin. They originally operated from Theatre Square further down Grey Street. Banks were always massively keen on displaying their opulence and grandeur. They were often influenced by renaissance architecture to appeal to investors and emanate stability and permanence. That same fact is why you still see so many today.

They swallowed up some of the North East's oldest banks - Messrs Ridley Bigge & Co. and Messrs. Backhouse notably to eventually become the biggest bank in the region. They cropped up across the region thanks to the coalfields and railways, facilitating their growth through credit. Ironically though it was also its downfall. They amassed huge amounts of credit to Newcastle merchants, iron works (notably the Derwent Iron Co.) and collieries - £720,000 altogether in 1857 which is about £48mil today. Monetary panics, bad management and loss of confidence led to its downfall in that same year. It led to years of anger and resentment from creditors of the bank who weren't protected.

This became Lambton's Bank after the District Bank downfall, seen in the 3rd shot in 1898. They were established in 1898 and informally known as the "Bank of the Coal Trade". The hint is Ralph John Lambton being the uncle of the Earl of Durham, who owned masses of pits across Durham. They had branches everywhere and, like the District Bank before it, propelled the growth of the collieries. They almost amalgamated with Barclays in 1895, but ended up being taken over by Lloyds in 1908.

Though Lloyds had a huge branch on Collingwood Street and various junior outlets across the city, it ended up operating this site and does so to this very day. It was however hollowed out in the mid 1980s, making only the facade and the sandstone elevations the original elements of the building. Thanks to Justin Parkes for highlighting this!