Object of the Month: July 2022

Gift of Freda Smithson

Collection: Social History

Object Name:

Two Home Safes from Leicester Trustee Savings Bank

Book safe made in Birmingham

UK Portable safe made in Chicago, USA

Metal and leatherette, 20th Century

 

‘We both worked in different branches of the Leicester Trustee Savings Bank, but met up at work and later got married. Keith Smithson went on to become the Bank Manager of the main branch in Town Hall Square, Leicester. These ‘safes’ or money boxes were to be kept at home to put odd coins in as a way of saving, particularly for children. You couldn’t get the money out again, but brought the safe into a branch to have the money put into your account. The bank was founded in 1817 and carried out a lot of work in local schools, teaching budgeting and encouraging the good management of money.’

Words of Freda Smith.

The Object of the Month can be seen in person throughout July at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery.