The Woolwich
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Woolwich was the trading name of the Woolwich Building Society, founded in 1847 as one of the first 'permanent' building societies. It is now a trading name of Barclays Bank PLC.
The Woolwich was one of the largest UK building societies, and was famous in the 1980s for its entertaining TV advertising incorporating the slogan "I'm with the Woolwich". The Woolwich also use to sponser local team Charlton Athletic.
The Woolwich Building Society demutualised in 1997, giving up its mutual status to become a plc. Woolwich plc was formed, giving shares to investing and borrowing members of the society, and listing on the London Stock Exchange.
In 2000 Barclays bought Woolwich plc, and it thus became part of the Barclays Bank Group of companies. The Woolwich brand name was retained after the acquisition, and the Woolwich Head Office remained based in Bexleyheath in southeast London, about 5 miles from the original first office in Woolwich.
On June 28, 2006 Barclays announced [1] that The Woolwich will become the Barclays UK mortgage brand, supported by Barclays branches. Woolwich branches will be re-branded as Barclays. Associated changes to call centres may affect up to 1,200 jobs.[2] The Woolwich contact centre in Clacton-On-sea will be the main loss of jobs, closing at the end of 2007. Woolwich accounts will migrate to Barclays starting in early 2007.
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Brands: Barclaycard • Barclays Capital • Barclays Global Investors • iShares • The Woolwich • Absa (South Africa)
Corporate Directors: Marcus Agius(Chairman) • John Varley • Naguib Kheraj • Paul Idzik • Gary Hoffman • Robert Diamond • Frits Seegers • Sir Nigel Rudd • Fulvio Conti • Sir Richard Broadbent • Richard Leigh Clifford • Dame Sandra Dawson • Sir Andrew Likierman • Stephen Russell • Sir John Sunderland • Danie Cronjé
Annual Revenue: 
£17.3 billion GBP (2005) | Employees: 113,300 | Stock Symbol: LSE: BARC | Website: www.barclays.com
Abbey • Adam and Company • Airdrie Savings Bank • Alliance & Leicester • Allied Irish Bank (GB) • Anglo Irish Bank • Bank of Ireland • Bank of Scotland • Barclays • Birmingham Midshires • Bradford & Bingley • Bristol and West • Cahoot • Cheltenham and Gloucester • Clydesdale • Co-operative Bank • Coutts & Co • Egg • First Direct • First Trust Bank • Halifax • Harrods Bank • HSBC • Intelligent Finance • Islamic Bank of Britain • Julian Hodge Bank • Lloyds TSB • National Savings and Investments • NatWest • Northern Bank • Northern Rock • Royal Bank of Scotland • Sainsbury's Bank • Standard Chartered Bank • Tesco Personal Finance • The Woolwich • Ulster Bank • Yorkshire Bank
