Mergers and conversions

Over the years many building societies have merged with others or changed their name. Between 1989 and 2000, ten building societies changed their status completely, converting into or merging with a Plc bank. None of these converted banks still exists as an independent entity, they are either part of a much larger bank, are a product brand, or their name has disappeared altogether .

Whether you are interested in the history of building societies or are exploring what happened to a particular society this page provides details of mergers, name changes and conversions - from a building society to a bank - right back to 1937.

Alphabetical list of changes since 1937

Printable list of changes since 1980

List of mergers and name changes since 1980

2023 Transfer of engagements

Manchester BS to Newcastle BS 01.07.23

2021 Change of name

Ipswich BS to Suffolk BS 09.11.21

2018 Transfer of engagements

Holmesdale BS to Skipton BS 01.10.18

2014 Transfer of engagements

City of Derry BS to Progressive BS 01.07.14

2013 Transfer of engagements

Shepshed BS to Nottingham BS 01.07.13

Century BS to Scottish BS 01.02.13

2011 Transfers of engagements

Norwich & Peterborough BS to Yorkshire BS 01.11.11

Kent Reliance BS to OneSavings Bank Plc 01.02.11

2010 Transfers of engagements

Stroud & Swindon BS to Coventry BS 01.09.10

Chesham BS to Skipton BS 01.06.10

Chelsea BS to Yorkshire BS 01.04.10

2009 Transfers of engagements

Britannia BS to The Co-Operative Financial Services 01.08.09

Dunfermline BS to Nationwide BS 30.03.09

( All of Dunfermline’s savings accounts, branches, head office and the majority of its residential mortgage book (other than social housing loans and related deposits) were transferred to Nationwide Building Society on 30 March 09. The social housing portfolio was transferred to a limited liability company wholly owned by the Bank of England, called DBS Bridge Bank Ltd. On 1 July 2009 Nationwide acquired the social housing loans and related deposits from the DBS Bridge Bank Ltd. The remainder of the business, including acquired mortgages and the commercial loan business has been placed into a Building Society Special Administration Process).

Scarborough BS to Skipton BS 30.03.09

2008 Transfers of engagements

Barnsley BS to Yorkshire BS 31.12.08
Catholic BS to Chelsea BS 31.12.08
Cheshire BS to Nationwide BS 15.12.08
Derbyshire BS to Nationwide BS 01.12.08

2007 Transfer of engagements

Portman BS to Nationwide BS 28.08.07

2006 Transfers of engagements 2006

Universal BS to Newcastle BS 31.12.06
Lambeth BS to Portman BS 30.09.06
Mercantile BS to Leeds BS 01.08.06

2006 Change of name

Saffron Walden Herts & Essex BS to Saffron BS 18.09.06

2005 Change of name

Leeds & Holbeck BS to Leeds BS 12.09.05

2003 Transfers of engagements

Clay Cross BS to Derbyshire BS 01.12.03
Staffordshire BS to Portman BS 31.12.03

2001 Transfers of engagements

Gainsborough BS to Yorkshire BS 31.12.01
Ilkeston Permanent BS to Derbyshire BS 16.11.01

2001 Change of name

Londonderry Provident BS to City of Derry BS 01.01.01

Transfer of Engagements 2000

Bradford & Bingley BS to Bradford & Bingley PLC 04.12.00
Nottingham Imperial BS to Newcastle BS 01.02.00

Transfer of Engagements 1999

Standard BS TE to Mercantile BS 27.09.99
Birmingham Midshires BS TE to Halifax PLC 19.04.99

Transfer of Engagements 1997

Northern Rock BS to Northern Rock PLC 01.10.97
Greenwich BS TE to Portman BS 30.07.97
Bristol & West BS TE to Bank of Ireland PLC 28.07.97
Woolwich BS TE to Woolwich PLC 07.07.97
Halifax BS TE to Halifax PLC 02.06.97
Alliance & Leicester BS TE to Alliance & Leicester PLC 21.04.97

Transfer of Engagements 1996

West Cumbria BS TE to Cumberland BS 29.09.96
National & Provincial BS TE to Abbey National PLC 05.08.96
City & Metro. BS TE to Stroud & Swindon BS 19.04.96

Transfer of Engagements 1995

Cheltenham & Gloucester BS TE to Lloyds Bank PLC 01.08.95
Leeds Permanent BS TE to Halifax BS 01.08.95

Transfer of Engagements 1994

North of England BS TE to Northern Rock BS 01.10.94
Tynemouth BS TE to Universal BS 31.10.94

Transfer of Engagements 1993

St Pancras BS TE to Portman BS 31.12.93
Bexhill-on-Sea BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS 29.11.93
Heart of England BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 02.10.93
Surrey BS TE to Northern Rock BS 05.07.93

Transfer of Engagements 1992

The Haywards Heath BS TE to Yorkshire BS 31.12.92
Mid-Sussex BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 01.08.92
Lancastrian BS TE to Northern Rock BS 13.07.92
Town & Country BS TE to Woolwich BS 02.05.92
Southdown BS TE to Leeds Permanent BS 01.04.92

Transfer of Engagements 1991

Cheshunt BS TE to Bristol & West BS 30.12.91
Mornington BS TE to Britannia BS 01.10.91
Bedford Crown BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 20.07.91
Leamington Spa BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS 01.07.91
Portsmouth BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 30.06.91
Hampshire BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS 17.06.91
Hendon BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS 18.03.91

Changes of Name 1991

Nationwide Anglia BS to Nationwide BS 01.12.91

Transfer of Engagements 1990

Louth Mablethorpe & Sutton BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS 26.11.90
Walthamstow BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 31.10.90
Eastbourne Mutual BS TE to Sussex County BS which 01.10.90
changed its name to Southdown BS
Portman Wessex BS TE to Regency & West of England BS 01.10.90
which changed its name to Portman BS
Frome Selwood Permanent BS TE to Stroud & Swindon BS 01.07.90
Peckham BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucestser BS 30.06.90
Sheffield BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS 15.06.90
Guardian BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 16.04.90
Bedford BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 08.04.90

Changes of Name 1990

Leek United & Midlands BS to Leek BS 01.07.90
Woolwich Equitable BS to Woolwich BS 06.05.90

Transfer of Engagements 1989

Portman BS merged with Wessex BS to form Portman Wessex BS 31.07.89
Abbey National BS TE to Abbey National PLC 12.07.89
Regency BS TE to West of England BS which changed 01.05.89
its name to Regency & West of England BS
Herts & Essex BS TE to Saffron Walden & Essex BS which 01.04.89
changed its name to Saffron Walden Herts & Essex BS
Bury St Edmunds BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 01.01.89

Changes of Name 1989

Haywards Heath & District BS to Haywards Heath BS 01.03.89

Transfer of Engagements 1988

Bolton BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 01.10.88
Aid to Thrift BS TE to Cheshunt BS 01.07.88
City of London BS TE to Chelsea BS 01.07.88
Gateway BS TE to Woolwich Equitable BS 31.05.88
North Wilts Ridgeway BS TE to West of England BS 01.03.88
Rowley Regis BS TE to Heart of England BS 01.03.88
Kidderminster Equitable BS TE to Heart of England BS 01.03.88
Essex Equitable BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 29.02.88

Changes of Name 1988

Holmesdale Benefit BS to Holmesdale BS 01.09.88

Transfer of Engagements 1987

Paddington BS TE to West of England BS 02.11.87
Cardiff BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 01.10.87
Chilterns BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS 05.10.87
City of Derry BS TE to Nationwide Anglia BS 30.09.87
Nationwide BS TE to Anglia BS to form Nationwide Anglia BS 01.09.87
London Permanent BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 01.08.87
Colchester BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS 01.06.87
Immigrants BS removed from Register 15.05.87
Harrow BS TE to Birmingham Midshires BS 30.04.87
Hemel Hempstead BS TE to Birmingham Midshires BS 13.04.87
Thrift BS to Cheshunt BS 13.04.87
Civil Service BS TE to Birmingham Midshires BS 06.04.87
Wishaw Investment BS TE to Northern Rock BS 02.02.87
United Kingdom BS TE to Northern Rock BS 05.01.87
Swindon Permanent BS TE to Stroud BS to form 02.01.87
Stroud & Swindon BS

Changes of Name 1987

Loughborough Permanent BS TE to Loughborough BS 01.05.87

Transfer of Engagements 1986

Property Owners BS to Woolwich Equitable BS 01.12.86
Bideford BS to West of England BS 31.10.86
Norwich BS merges with Peterborough BS to form 31.10.86
Norwich and Peterborough BS
King Edward BS TE to Birmingham Midshires BS 15.09.86
Tyldesley BS to Middleton BS to form Lancastrian BS 01.07.86
Birmingham & Bridgwater BS unites with Midshires BS to form
Birmingham Midshires BS 30.06.86
Metrogas BS to Midshires BS 24.06.86
North East Globe BS to Universal BS 02.06.86
North of England BS to Sunderland and Shields BS to form 02.06.86
North of England BS
Blackheath BS to Britannia BS 02.06.86
Chatham Reliance BS to Herne Bay BS to form Kent Reliance BS 01.04.86
Mitcham and Metropolitan BS to Sussex County BS 01.04.86
Stanley BS to Bradford and Bingley BS 03.02.86

Changes of Name 1986

East Surrey BS to Surrey BS 01.07.86

Transfer of Engagements 1985

Alliance BS unites with Leicester BS to form Alliance & Leicester BS
Argyle BS TE to Peterborough BS
Bristol Economic BS TE to Stroud BS
British BS TE to Sun BS
Chatham BS TE to Principality BS
Citizens Regency BS TE to Sussex Mutual BS
Economic BS TE to Sun B
Enterprise BS TE to Sun BS
Forresters BS TE to Bradford and Bingley BS
Hartlepool & District BS TE to Northern Rock BS
Haslemere BS TE to National & Provincial BS
Hibernian BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Huntly BS TE to Scottish BS
Kirklees BS removed from Register
Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows TE to Northern Rock BS
Merseyside BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
North Kent BS TE to Woolwich BS
Old England BS TE to Sun BS
South Durham BS TE to Sunderland & Shields BS
South Shields Sun Permanent BS TE to Northern Rock BS
Waltham Abbey BS TE to Chelteham & Gloucester BS
Western Counties BS TE to Ramsbury BS

Changes of Name 1985

Nottingham Oddfellows BS to Nottingham Imperial BS

Cancellation of Registration 1985

Corinthian BS
Kirklees BS
Worksop BS was dissolved

Transfer of Engagements 1984

Banffshire BS TE to Scottish BS
Boston & Skirbeck BS TE to Leicester BS
Clapham Permanent BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Cotswold BS TE to Cheltenham & Gloucester BS
Country BS TE to Anglia BS
Dover & Folkestone BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Ealing & Acton BS TE to Midshire BS
Glamorgan BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Kent & Canterbury Permanent Benefit BS TE to Chatham Reliance BS
London Grosvenor BS TE to Woolwich BS
Marble Arch BS TE to Chelsea BS
New Cross BS TE to Woolwich BS
Permanent Scottish BS TE to Scottish BS

Cancellation of Registration 1984

Axminster Seaton & District BS
Dee BS
Hamilton Savings Investment and BS was dissolved

Transfer of Engagements 1983

Anglia BS TE to London & South of England BS to form Anglia BS
Burnley BS TE to Provincial BS to form National & Provincial BS
Colne BS TE to Britannia BS
Coventry Provident BS TE to Coventry Economic BS to form Coventry BS
Grangemouth BS TE to Woolwich Equitable BS
Hadrian BS TE to Sunderland & Shields BS
Horsham BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Housing and General BE TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
London Commercial BS TE to Nottingham BS
Musselburgh BS TE to Northern Rock BS
North Wilts Equitable BS Unites with Ridgeway BS to form North Wilts
& Ridgeway BS
Padiham BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Rugby Provident BS TE to Hinckley BS to form Hinckley & Rugby BS
Severn BS TE to Midshires BS
Shields Commercial BS TE to Sunderland & Shields BS
Stockport Mersey BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Tynemouth Victoria BS TE to Mercantile BS
United Provinces BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Welsh Economic BS TE to Britannia BS

Additions to Register 1983

Immigrant BS

Cancellation of Registration 1983

Connaught Permanent BS
Simplified BS
Torbay & Devon BS
Victoria Permanent BS

Transfer of Engagements 1982

Accrington Savings BS TE to Cheshire BS
Advance BS TE to Darlington BS
Banner BS TE to Midshires BS
Birmingham BS Unites with Bridgwater BS to form Birmingham & Bridgwater BS
Blyth & Morpeth BS TE to Northern Rock BS
City & District Permanent BS TE to Metrogas BS
Denton BS TE to Britannia BS
Dorking BS TE to Eastbourne Mutual BS
Driffield BS TE to Britannia BS
Hearts of Oak & Enfield TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Kilmarnock BS TE to Northern Rock BS
Leigh Permanent BS TE to Cheshire BS
Liverpool BS TE to Midshires BS
Otley BS TE to Skipton BS
Over Darwen BS TE to Britannia BS
Queen Victoria Street BS TE to Metrogas BS
Saddleworth BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Shields & Washington BS TE to Northern Rock BS
Strathclyde BS TE to Scottish BS
Swansea Park Permanent BS TE To Bradford & Bingley BS
Sydenham BS TE to Mid Sussex BS
Target BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Wellington (Somerset) and District BS TE to Britannia BS
Wigan BS TE to Cheshire

Removal from Register 1982

Independent BS

Transfer of Engagements 1981

Alfreton BS TE to Britannia BS
Anchor BS TE to Sunderland & Shields BS
Ashton Stamford BS TE to Cheshire BS
Edinburgh & Paisley BS TE to Dunfermline BS
Hyde BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Kettering Permanent Benefit BS TE to Market Harborough BS
Kingston BS TE to London & South of England BS
Margam BS TE to Midshires BS
Official & General BS TE to London Grosvenor BS
Peckham Permanent BS TE to Paddington BS
Pioneer BS TE to Northern Rock BS
Pontardulais BS TE to Midshires BS
Rye Benefit BS TE to Eastbourne Mutual BS
Sandbach BS TE to Cheshire BS
Stockport & County Permanent BS TE to Northern Rock BS
Westminster BS TE to Country BS
West Yorkshire BS TE to Huddersfield & Bradford BS to form Yorkshire BS

Cancellation of Registration 1981

Lombard BS was dissolved
Oldham Permanent BS was dissolved
Welbeck BS

Transfer of Engagements 1980

Lancashire BS TE to Northern Rock BS
London Goldhawk BS TE to South of England BS to form London & South of England BS
Newcastle upon Tyne BS TE to Grainger BS to form Newcastle BS
Oakleaf BS TE to Anglia BS
Premier Permanent BS TE to City & Metropolitan BS
St Martins le Grand Permanent Benefit BS TE to Ramsbury BS
Spread Eagle BS TE to Bradford & Bingley BS
Stamford BS TE to Peterborough BS
Stoke on Trent BS TE to Britannia BS
Summers BS TE to Cheshire BS
Tyne BS TE to North of England BS
Walker & Byker Industrial Permanent BS TE to Northern Rock BS

Cancellation of Registration 1980

Blackpool BS
First Salisbury BS
Longbridge BS
Wembley BS

Additions to Register 1980

Ecology BS

Contact

Simon Rex

simon.rex@bsa.org.uk