David John Robarts

  General Notes:

Chairman of National Provincial Bank; by the end of the First World War it was clear that Coutts alone would not be in a position to take advantage of the post-war market, and so in 1920 it merged with National Provincial & Union Bank of England. In the late 1960s, the Bank of England tried to rationalize the banking industry through a policy known as competition and credit control, which aimed to put banks on a more equal and competitive footing and to improve control of the nation's money supply. Although the Bank of England indicated a willingness to allow mergers as part of the rationalization process, no one had seriously believed it would permit mergers among the largest and most influential banks. The merger of National Provincial and Westminster Bank announced in early 1968, and engineered by David, shocked the British public and banking community.

To both banks the advantages were readily apparent - the merger pooled their assets, created opportunities to streamline branch networks and enabled further investment in new technology.

The statutory process of integration was completed in 1969 and National Westminster Bank commenced trading on 1 January 1970. The District Bank, National Provincial and Westminster Bank were fully integrated in the new firm's structure, while Coutts & Co, Ulster Bank and the non-banking subsidiaries continued as separate operations.

Duncan Stirling, chairman of Westminster Bank, became NatWest's first chairman. David, former chairman of National Provincial, assumed Stirling's position.

David married Living