The first bank in the town was established in the home of Mr John Bottomley, a man who's family was to take an important role in both the commercial and public affairs of the town for well over a century.

 John Bottomley's house known as the Old Manor House was situated in the centre of town. This was at the end of what was later to become known as Union Street, and even later still as an extended part of Bethel Street and then finally Thornton Square.

 For a short period c1868, the bank ran its business from one of the eight new shops that were incorporated into building of the new town hall, which is now the Civic Hall building.

   The Old Manor House which stood in front of the old Town Pump was demolished in 1875 to make way for the brand new and purpose built premises of the Halifax Commercial Bank. The date 1875 is still visible if you stand in Thornton Square and look at the top of the bank premises.

   The new bank was built alongside the old Malt Kiln, a building  that had stood since the seventeenth century. As the town grew and the time came for the affairs of the town to be conducted from premises more fitting. In 1886 that too was demolished to make way for the new municipal offices.

   In the first of these two pictures is one of the late Albert Pile's drawings showing the Old Manor House. This was used as an illustration in Reginald Mitchell's 1953 book 'Brighouse Portrait of a Town'. In this photograph the old malt kiln is still visible to the right of the house.

   In the second picture taken by Messrs Leach and Gelder the Brighouse photographers c1895. You can see the attractive iron work in front of the new bank with just a little of the same iron work in front of the Town Hall.

   The street light with what on the original photograph looks like a basket standing at its side, is just about where the old town pump stood. The basket no doubt belonged to one of the traders who's shop formed part of Holroyd Buildings which was built c1850. This was a triangular shaped building which stood in front of the bank and town hall until it too was demolished before the First World War.

   Today the old bank building is a branch of Barclays.