Business Diary: August 10

Taking stock of exchange memories

OUR publication of a photograph featuring stalwarts from the Leeds stock exchange from the 1960s certainly brought back memories for some readers.

Last week we appealed for help identifying the men in the picture. We already knew that the gentleman wearing a hat and reading the newspaper is Gavin Loudon, the father of Keith Loudon of Leeds-based stockbrokers Redmayne Bentley.

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Thank you to all the readers who have telephoned and emailed to help us. One of the emails was from Mary Catton – ne Lancaster – who remembers the old Leeds stock exchange, which closed in 1973.

She has a stab at naming the stockbrokers from almost half a century ago: "From the extreme right, sitting in the window, is Fred Wardell of Broadbridge Lawson, and then Herbert Taylor of Broadbridge Lawson.

"The next two gentlemen I can't identify, then there is Roland Nicholson of Broadbridge Lawson and David Barnes (the man smoking the pipe).

"I worked for Broadbridge Lawson from 1971 until 1979 and was the first female to pass the newly created stock exchange exams which were established when the exchanges merged. I was featured in the Yorkshire Post at the time with Charles Pritchard (the City Editor of the Yorkshire Post from 1959 to 1984).

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"I had happy memories of working for Fred Wardell, an excellent stockbroker in the time before technology took over. This picture hung in the old offices of Broadbridge Lawson in Park Cross Street. Broadbridge eventually became Brewin Dolphin."

But what of the gentleman on the extreme left, who is bending over the table? He has been named as James Pemberton by Michael Fawcett of Addingham, near Ilkley, who contacted us via email. Mr Fawcett added: "He and his brother Edward (my late father-in-law) were at that time partners in the family stockbroking firm of Howitt and Pemberton. Both were at various times chairman of the exchange. The firm was later run by James's sons, Geoffrey and Barry, before being subsumed into a national company."

Call of duty

First Direct's chief executive Matt Colebrook and chief financial officer Colin Storrar surprised workers at the opening day of the bank's new gym facilities by dressing up in 118 118 costumes complete with silly wigs and moustaches.

After a lap of the Leeds-based call centre, they were enrolled in the gym and got to work toning their physiques on the new equipment which includes weights, rowing machines and two Powerplate machines.

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However, at just 2 for a year's membership, the gym is likely to cost First Direct staff considerably less than a few 118 118 phone calls.

Search and seize

IT sounds like every boss's worst nightmare. The prospect of divorce lawyers rifling through your desk on behalf of a former partner would bring many high-flying executives out in a cold sweat – and it could happen, according to one law firm in Yorkshire.

DWF said bosses could see their offices raided in an attempt to uncover proof of the size of their assets. It follows a Court of Appeal recommendation that people should apply for search and seize orders if they suspect their spouse is concealing assets.

Carol Grundell, based at DWF's Leeds office, said there has been an increase in the number of people going to extreme lengths to access their former partner's documents to prove something has been hidden.

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The court ruled that each spouses has a right to keep their confidential information private, Ms Grundell said, but if concealment of assets is suspected, the spouse can apply for a search and seize order, which can include the workplace. "Clarification from the Supreme Court cannot come soon enough," she added.

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