Cunliffe, Brooks and Co
Bankers, of Blackburn
Up to about 1823 the firm was Cunliffes, Brooks and Co
1825 With other banks was involved in the formation of the original Manchester Ship Canal Co[1]
1825 There was a run on the Manchester branch of the bank. In an attempt to bolster customer confidence, Samuel Brooks opened several sacks of flour, the tops of which he filled with gold sovereigns. The sacks of ‘gold’ were then displayed in the branch, for all to see. The ploy worked: the customers' headlong rush to exchange their paper money subsided, and the bank survived.
1841 Listed in Manchester [2]
Samuel Brooks was a director
1845 offices in London, Manchester and Blackburn listed in The London Gazette[3]
1846 Partners were William Brooks of Whalley, James Cunliffe of Islington and Samuel Brooks of Manchester[4]
1846 William Brooks died. The bank moved its head office to Manchester in response to the increased business that the Manchester branch was generating. Samuel Brooks became the leading partner in the business.
1847 The firm was Cunliffes, Brooks and Co of London and Manchester[5]