Friends For Life | Yorkshire Old Bank Staff

We all made many friends working for Yorkshire Bank. Many of those friends were not just colleagues but became friends for life.

It is great to see groups of old colleagues still getting together informally many years after retirement.

Here are some examples from 2024 and 2025 most recent at the top

Three ladies who first met at Stockton Branch in the 1980's still meet up on a regular basis, most weeks to run together.

Julie Morrow/Bedford, Linda Wright/Smith and Maxine Williams/Allen

Here they are having completed the London Landmark half marathon together in April 2024

And here at the Grand Canyon during a visit to Las Vegas in September 2024

Christine Andrews and Ruth Simpson relaxing near Lake Garda. They worked together at City Square and Holderness Road back in the 80's.

Some of the ladies from Shipley Business Connect had a catch up recently, almost 18 years after it closed.

L-R Sarah Louise Rothwell-Chapman, Rachael Howlett, Kirsty Jayne Tounsend-Jeacock, Carina Campbell, Lynne Perris, Anita Lamb

Julie Johnson writes on 14 March

Had a get together with these ladies from Lincoln branch today. Great seeing you and lots of happy memories of our time with YB made by the people around us and memories that last forever.

L to R Nikki Harrington (nee Toule), Sandra Pridgen (nee Peace), Jane Mager (nee Newstead, ex McDonald), Julie Johnson (nee Hanslip), Audrey Whitehead (nee Hobden).

Nikki & Jane are original staff from the branch opening.

And here is the original Branch opening team

Ann Marie Mottram writes

Met up with these lovely ladies for lunch in Middlesbrough recently. Julie Watts front left front right sorry June Clarke didn't capture you. Christine Dawson sat between Sue and June. Lovely ladies I had the pleasure of working alongside at Eston branch. Chris Dawson was at Gresham when I started Aug 1974. She was a lunchtime cashier along with Julie at Eston. Called on them many times to do extra hours/days when needed. Myself and Jenny started jobsharing in 1994 after I had been at Eston since 1983. I worked Monday Tuesday and alternate Wednesdays. I kept the same hours when we went to the RSC and Jenny went back full time. She was putting her daughter through veterinary university . Laura partner in a practice now.

lan Sedgwick once again organised a Christmas lunch for YOBS from the North East (and elsewhere!)

Right: Clockwise from forefront Mike Innes, Val Innes, Jane Sedgwick, Jean Nixon, Alan Sedgwick, Alan Nixon, Margaret Dabbs, Malcolm Dabbs, Dave Bywater, Jane Ryan

Below:

Phil Stevens, Eunice Adams, Sharon Hardy, Doreen Herd, Andrea Stringer, Sheila Dawson, Heather Rowlands, Ann Marie Mottram, John Ryan, Brian Jones

I have tried to push two photos together to get everyone in! Please forgive my photoshop inabilities. Unfortunately the bulks of Brian Jones and John Ryan obscured Heather Rowlands in both photos.

"It wasn’t just a workplace it was where we made Friends for Life", says Alison Woffindon about a Christmas meet-up, this time from Headingley Branch.

right to left Helen Merritt , Alison Woodbridge , Maureen Stead now Baker and Christine Garratt

YOBS on a Leeds pub crawl check in on the about-to-be-demolished Merrion Way.

Steve Harrison, Jon Voller, Keith Harrison, Robert Smith,

Ian Whitworth and John Bird

Photo by Ian Hey

Three loveley ladies from ICD, more friends for life.

Julie Bramley (O'Grady, Megson) Jackie Hunt (Sellers) and Susan Sarucan (Bentley)

Burton branch Christmas trip to the bright lights of Birmingham, with spouses, in December.

Jane Simpson/Tanser/Smith, Kathryn Smith/Finley , Tracy Fowler/Dunsdon, Angie Tomlin/Ford , and then there’s Denise West/Ward who left the bank many years ago.

l-r back row: Angie, Denise , Kate

middle row: Jane, Tracy

Leeds area (and beyond) lads and lasses at their annual fish & chip fest, Murgatroyds, Yeadon

L-R Paul Sheppard, Phil Stevens, Roger Lazenby, Graeme Parker, John Urwin, Dennis Pollard, Pat & Terry Ryan, Neville Newton

L-R Phil Hudson. Brian Goldsborough, Dave Smith, Mike Darlow, Mike Bowles, Roger Lomas, Glynn Pearson, Geoff Hill

L-R: Ronnie Brown, Andy Wheatley, Steve Tranmer, Juanita Pengelly, Bill Baker, Malcolm Kemp

YB girls from Stockton, Thornaby, Yarm Lane and Norton, friends from the 70s and 80s, have met up once a month for the past 40 years

Maureen Cooke, Pauline Flowers, Yvonne Riddle, Ann Pepper, Carole Beddard, Carol Gill and Maryanne New.

(Maiden names for these maidens)

YBFC Xmas reunion lunch with a few non players tagging along. 23 people on this pic and only 2 didn’t work at YB.

I'll leave it to you to recognise so many names, and also to work out why David (Jonah) Jones needs to keep Gary Lineker in his seat.

North Yorkshire Clifton Boys meet up in York 21st November

David Hall with Simon Addison and Brian De Vere

Mick Fox, Steve Maloney.

Shaw branch friends ~ 27th November 2024 at Riva, Hollingworth Lake. John and Sue Taylor, Andrew and Pam Kirk, Olwyn, Hazel, Julia, Gwyneth, Michele, Debs, David and Carole.

Paul Sheppard's regular curry night in the Shabab, Leeds, November 19th.

Left, bottom to top: Paolo Pozzana, Dave Smith, Roger Lomas, Geoff Falkingham, Ray Smith, Roger Lazenby, Phil Stevens, (Geoff Hill has disappeared).

Paul Sheppard heads the table.

Right, bottom to top: Chris Tyers, John Bird, Dave Smalley, John Jefferis, John Urwin, then a glimpse of Mike Bowles' white hair and Mike Darlow's arms

A little catch up for some of the ladies from Central Services Department, circa early/mid 1970s.

Friendships still going strong xx

L to R Lynne Reid, Margaret Lynch (nee Daykin) and Sandra Garth. Happy days

A little catch up at Love Cheese in York for some of the 1980's Pudsey branch girls ( left to right Donna Marshall, Karen Thomson, Helen Roberts, Michelle Cossey& Paula Caloe)

Terrie Smith posted this at the beginning of November:

We worked together in Merrion Way, Secretarial Services, back in the 1980s. Friends forever!

L-R -Sue Dobson, Terri Smith, Sue Tattersall, Lester Frost.

Terri is of course known to all the Leeeds area pensioners as one of the organisers of our annual lunch.

The Yorkshire Bank Asset Finance Team from way back when having a long overdue catch up in Manchester on September 30 ... Craig Chadwick, Alan Kerr, Simon Johnson, Carol Barnes, Mick Pickering, Tony Foulds, Sue Platt, Andrea Anderson, Neil Kitchen & Sarah Pickering.

John Cole met up with former Computer Centre shift staff in October, at, where else? The Regent in Chapel Allerton.

From left to right, Robbo, Nat, Shazza, Smudger, ?, Shandy, Woj, Gaz.

Some of the Leeds Area YOBS have been enjoying a curry night every other month for over 20 years. These were originated by Mike Bowles and are now organised by Paul Sheppard.

The July meeting, at Nawaab in Leeds, was attended by Geoff Falkingham, Mike Bowles, Roger Lomas, Dave Smith, Ray Smith, John Urwin, Phil Stevens, Juanita Pengelly and Paul Sheppard, with John Jefferis in the mirror.

From Maureen Baker on the YOBS Facebook page

Another lovely YOBS get together with ex Rochdale Jayne Hagreen & David Baker plus myself from the other side of the Pennines & Jayne’s husband Cam. We regularly get together in sunny Spain where Jayne & Cam now live.

The Tees Valley Old Boys also met in early July, photo from John Martinson

Jas Gill, John Martinson , John Carling, Greg Shaw, Mike Smith, Tom Ramshaw, Karl Pemberton, Dave Thompson, Ian Lowther and Jon Fenwick .

In North Yorkshire, David Hall and his friends enjoy a drink:

Steve Maloney, Mick Fox, Jes Bowers, Brian De Vere & David Hall

Ian Hey posted this pic early July:

Ian Whitworth, Jon Voller, John Bird, Robert Smith, Keith Harrison, Ian Hey, Nigel Scarth, Dave Barnes (partially hidden), Dave Smalley, Chris Greasley & Bryan Rushfirth enjoying a beer or three in the Market Cat in York

Then in June the group met again,

John & Jane Ryan, Denise Sparks, Sue Naylor, Gillian & Alan Ward, Derek Sparks.

Back in January Sue Naylor posted this pic of a group of friends.

Richard Pulleyn and wife Maggie, Alan Ward, Sue Naylor, Denise and Derek Sparks.