The culminating event of the 1969 Jubilee was the formal Dinner on Wednesday, the 3rd September, at which some 180 persons were the
guests of the Committee of Management. The guest of honour and principal speaker was the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Roy
H Jenkins, MP. In the chair was Councillor A D Martineau, Chairman of the Bank Committee and the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress were
present, the Lord Mayor proposing the toast of HM Ministers. The guests included members of the Chamberlain family, the Mayors and
Mayoresses of all the adjoining Boroughs, the Chairmen and their ladies of the adjoining Councils of Meriden and Bromsgrove, the President,
Chairman and Secretary of the Savings Banks Institute, many of the Birmingham Members of parliament and representatives of the City
Council and Chief Officers of Corporation Departments. The Treasury and the National Debt Office and Department of National Savings
were represented, as were the Joint Stock Banks, Thomas Cook & Son Ltd, the Bank's Valuers, the Municipal Officers Guild and the
Staff Association. Retired Officers, formerly on the Staff of the Corporation Savings Bank formed a link of continuity with Senior
Staff of the present Bank and the "Hilton" family was represented as also was the oldest depositor.
This was altogether a memorable
occasion - the after dinner speeches were extremely good and the evening was brought to a very happy conclusion by the Roman Catholic
Archbishop (The Most Rev G P Dwyer) who wittingly responded to the toast of "The Guests".
The Staff Dinner which followed on
8th September was, to me, no less enjoyable. Less formal, of course, but, as the Chairman said in his speech, indicative of the family
atmosphere which is one of the most cherished features of this wonderful organisation.
S. A. G.
(NOTE: Stanley Guy was the Bank's General Manager at the time of the Golden Jubilee)