The two stories by Trevor Howard on the history of banks in Woking, which featured in Peeps recently, have resulted in two readers adding some useful details.

Jenny Mukerji wrote: “I have been following your items on the banks and would like to straighten out a little bump regarding the National Provincial, Westminster and District banks.  

“I worked for the Farnham branch of the National Provincial Bank, starting in 1968. 

“During that time the District Bank was approached by British Leyland for a loan to prop up its ailing business. 

“The amount of money was more than the District could raise on its own, so a merger was negotiated with the two other banks, the National Provincial and the Westminster – creating the National Westminster Bank – and a new logo was designed. 

“This is the three-sided symbol, denoting the three banks merging, we see today for NatWest Bank. 

“You will also note that the once-tallest building in the City of London, the NatWest Tower, reflects the same shape. 

“The story of the merger and creation of NatWest Bank is slowing disappearing into the mists of time.

“But for those of us who worked through it, it was, at times, quite a worry. 

“We also had to contend with the introduction of decimal currency coming shortly afterwards – on February 15, 1971. 

“Those were heady days in the world of banking. But at least we did see our customers and got to know them.”

And Mark Potter wrote: “My grandfather Harold Parratt was manager of the Midland Bank in Chertsey Road before, during and after the Second World War.

“He and my mother Joan, and possibly my step-grandmother, lived in a flat above the bank during that time.

“Somewhere I have a photo taken out of the window of the flat, of a barrage balloon in the sky. 

“My grandfather and family moved to Woking from Ealing in 1929.

“He previously worked at Midland Bank in Marylebone.

“My mother remembered the German V1 flying bombs –  doodlebugs – flying over Woking.

“She recalled hiding in the cupboard under the stairs in the bank with a tray full of cups of tea when one flew over and its motor stopped. 

“My mother never knew where it landed but the tea was apparently not spilt.

“The photo, shown here, is of what my grandfather called Woking Carnival promoters. 

“This was presumably a dinner for sponsors, and so on, of the Woking Carnival and was held at the Albion Hotel by the railway station. 

“I do not know the date of the photo.  

“My grandfather was treasurer of the Woking Carnival at the time and is standing at the back, fifth from the right.

“Incidentally, my paternal aunt Hazel Potter worked as a clerk for many years at National Provincial Bank, just the other side of the road from the Midland Bank.

“Maybe some other readers have more information on Woking Carnival.”