Details on Barclays Bank mortgage lender:
Barclays has grown from modest beginnings in the dark streets of 17th century London to be one of the world's leading banks is a fascinating one. We're particularly proud of our history of innovation and inspiration. It gives us confidence that our story is far from over, and that we are set to become an even stronger presence on the world's financial stage.
1690 John Freame and Thomas Gould start trading as Goldsmith bankers in Lombard Street in the City of London.
1896 The company joins with 19 other private banking businesses to form a new joint-stock bank called Barclay and Company Limited. This had 182 branches and substantial deposits of £26million. The partners were connected by a web of family and religious links, and the bank was often referred to as the Quaker Bank.
1905 The bank expands rapidly around this time. In this year it takes over Bolithos Bank in the South West of England.
1916 Barclay and Company takes over the United Counties Bank in the Midlands.
1918 The bank amalgamates with the London, Provincial and South Western Bank to become one of the UK's 'big five' banks. By 1926 the bank has 1,837 outlets.
1925 our international operation, Barclays Bank (Dominion, Colonial and Overseas) is formed by the merger of three banks - the Colonial Bank, the Anglo Egyptian Bank and the National Bank of South Africa. This goes on to add business in much of Africa, the Middle East and the West Indies.
1966 Barclays launches Barclaycard, the UK's first credit card.
1967 Barclays unveils the world's first cash machine, offering "Barclaycash" from its Enfield branch.
1969 Barclays acquires Martins Bank which was the largest UK bank to have its head office outside London, in Liverpool.
1977 Barclays is the first UK bank to introduce Personal Bankers in its UK branches.
1981 Barclays becomes the first foreign bank to file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and raise long-term capital on the New York market.
1985 Barclays UK and International are merged to form Barclays PLC.
1986 Barclays becomes the first British bank to have its shares listed on the Tokyo and New York stock exchanges. The bank's global expansion is given added impetus by the creation of BZW. This evolved to become Barclays Capital, the investment banking division of the bank, managing larger corporate and institutional business.
1995 Barclays purchases the fund manager Wells Fargo Nikko Investment Advisers. The business is integrated with BZW Investment Management to form Barclays Global Investors.
1997 Online banking begins at Barclays. Customised services are also developing fast with the introduction of Barclays Private Bank and Premier Banking.
2000 Barclays takes over the Woolwich, a leading mortgage bank and former building society founded in 1847.
2001 Barclays forms a strategic alliance with Legal & General to sell life, pensions and investment products throughout its UK network.
2003 Barclays acquires Banco Zaragozano, one of Spain's largest private sector banking groups, which was founded in 1910.
2005 Barclays Head Office moves to the iconic Canary Wharf building in London's regenerated Docklands. Barclays also acquires a majority stake in Absa Group Ltd, South Africa's largest retail bank with more than eight million customers.
Mortgage lender Barclays
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