1 8 3 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁Comp an ies ▁Act ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁ ▁allowed ▁the ▁share hold ers ▁of ▁bank ing ▁companies ▁the ▁protection ▁of ▁limited ▁li ability , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁the ▁partners ▁of ▁the ▁bank ▁decided ▁that ▁the ▁future ▁of ▁the ▁bank ▁was ▁best ▁assured ▁by ▁becoming ▁a ▁joint - stock ▁company ▁rather ▁than ▁a ▁private ▁company . ▁Capital ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁limited ▁company ▁was ▁author ised ▁for ▁£ 1 , 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁issued ▁in ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁shares ▁at ▁£ 3 0 ▁each , ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁the ▁decision ▁was ▁taken ▁to ▁move ▁the ▁head ▁office ▁of ▁the ▁bank ▁to ▁Ski pton . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁turn ▁of ▁the ▁tw enti eth ▁century ▁many ▁small ▁banks ▁am alg am ated ▁to ▁form ▁bigger ▁concerns . ▁The ▁Cra ven ▁Bank ▁was ▁no ▁exception ▁and ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁the ▁board ▁proposed ▁a ▁mer ger ▁with ▁the ▁Bank ▁of ▁Liverpool , ▁a ▁motion ▁that ▁was ▁carried ▁by ▁the ▁share hold ers ▁of ▁both ▁banks ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 0 6 . ▁ ▁From ▁a ▁single ▁bank ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 1 , ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁mer ger ▁with ▁the ▁Bank ▁of ▁Liverpool , ▁the ▁Cra ven ▁Bank ▁had ▁ 1 4 ▁branches ▁and ▁ 2 6 ▁sub - branch es ▁across ▁the ▁West ▁R iding ▁of ▁York shire ▁and ▁East ▁Lanc ash ire . ▁ ▁References ▁