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Pares's Bank

Leicestershire Record Office
  • It was used as a bank by the National Westminster until 1990
  • Built on land that formed part of the Grey Friars complex, where Richard III was buried
  • There has been a bank on this site since 1800

The most elegant bank in Leicester

The land this bank was built on formed part of the garden of Grey Friars House, which was owned by Thomas Pares (1746-1824). Originally this would have formed part of the Grey Friars’ Friary complex, now best known as the burial place of King Richard III.

The changing fortunes of Pares & Co

The first bank on this site, Pares & Co., was established in 1800 by partners Thomas Pares, Thomas Paget, John Pares and James Heygate, who had connections through the Leicester hosiery trade. Although it prospered initially, the bank fell into difficulties in 1830 when it emerged that James Heygate junior had been embezzling funds. The bank survived and by 1880 was known as Pares´s Leicestershire Banking Co. Ltd.

Board Room
Pare’s Bank, Board Room, 1904. Historic England

Takeover

The present building is often said to be the most elegant bank in Leicester. It was designed by J.B. Everard & S. Perkins Pick for Pares´s Bank in 1901 but became Parr´s Bank (of Warrington and London) in 1902 following a takeover. It eventually became a branch of the National Westminster Bank until its closure in the 1990s.

pares bank panels
The panels on either side of the frontage

The panels on either side of the main door on the front of the building are by Charles Allen and represent Agriculture (left) and Commerce (right). Look for a shepherd’s crook, an apple branch and a crown of wheat in Agriculture, and a sailing ship and women bearing raw materials in Commerce.

The building is home to a restaurant, Middletons Steakhouse & Grill, find out how to visit.

Timeline
Edwardian Leicester
Visitor information
Public access inside (restaurant)

Gallery

The exterior in 2018 -
The exterior in 2018
The panels on either side of the frontage -
The panels on either side of the frontage
Pare’s Bank, Banking Hall, 1904 - Historic England
Pare’s Bank, Banking Hall, 1904
Historic England
Architectural plans for the building - Leicestershire Record Office
Architectural plans for the building
Leicestershire Record Office
Pare’s Bank, Board Room, 1904 - Historic England
Pare’s Bank, Board Room, 1904
Historic England
The exterior in 1905 -
The exterior in 1905

Roman Leicester

(47- 500) A military fort was erected, attracting traders and a growing civilian community to Leicester (known as Ratae Corieltauvorum to the Romans). The town steadily grew throughout the reign of the Romans.

Medieval Leicester

(500 – 1500) The early years of this period was one of unrest with Saxon, Danes and Norman invaders having their influences over the town. Later, of course, came Richard III and the final battle of the Wars of the Roses was fought on Leicester’s doorstep.

Tudor & Stuart Leicester

(1500 – 1700) The wool trade flourished in Leicester with one local, a former mayor named William Wigston, making his fortune. During the English Civil War a bloody battle was fought as the forces of King Charles I laid siege to the town.

Georgian Leicester

(1700 – 1837) The knitting industry had really stared to take hold and Leicester was fast becoming the main centre of hosiery manufacture in Britain. This new prosperity was reflected throughout the town with broader, paved streets lined with elegant brick buildings and genteel residences.

Victorian Leicester

(1837 – 1901) The industrial revolution had a huge effect on Leicester resulting in the population growing from 40,000 to 212,000 during this period. Many of Leicester's most iconic buildings were erected during this time as wealthy Victorians made their mark on the town.

Edwardian Leicester

(1901 – 1910) Electric trams came to the streets of Leicester and increased literacy among the citizens led to many becoming politicised. The famous 1905 ‘March of the Unemployed to London’ left from Leicester market when 30,000 people came to witness the historic event.

Early 20th Century Leicester

(1910 – 1973) The diverse industrial base meant Leicester was able to cope with the economic challenges of the 1920s and 1930s. New light engineering businesses, such as typewriter and scientific instrument making, complemented the more traditional industries of hosiery and footwear manufacturing.

Modern Leicester

(1973 – present day) Industry was still thriving in the city during the 1970s, with the work opportunities attracting many immigrants from all over the world. While industry has declined in recent years, excellent transport links have made Leicester an attractive centre for many businesses. The City now has much to be proud of including its sporting achievements and the richness of its cultural heritage and diversity.

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A Working Town

Makers Yard

The buildings at 82-86 Rutland Street, now Makers Yard, form the earliest surviving example of an unpowered hosiery factory in the East Midlands. They were originally built in stages between 1854 and 1863 for J. Brown and Sons, a hosiery manufacturer specialising in gloves.
Glenfield Tunnel

The Glenfield Tunnel, when it opened in 1832, was the longest steam railway tunnel in the world. It forms part of the Leicester & Swannington railway network, the first steam railway in the Midlands and one of the first in the world.
Coronation Buildings

Once described as a “jolly piece of commercial vulgarity”, the Coronation Buildings marked both the Coronation of Edward VII in 1902 and Britain´s strong ties to its Victorian Empire.
West Bridge Station

Built in 1893, the station was added to one of the earliest railways in the world; the Leicester & Swannington Railway.
The Leicestershire Banking Company

The Grade II* listed building was designed by the prominent Leicester architect Joseph Goddard.
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