Abbey National Building Society National Permanent Mutual Benefit Building Society x The National Freehold Land Society x The National Freehold Land and Building Society x The National Building Society Abbey Road Building Society x Abbey Road and St. John's Wood Permanent Benefit Building Society x Abbey Road Permanent Benefit Building Society

Abbey National Building Society National Permanent Mutual Benefit Building Society x The National Freehold Land Society x The National Freehold Land and Building Society x The National Building Society Abbey Road Building Society x Abbey Road and St. John's Wood Permanent Benefit Building Society x Abbey Road Permanent Benefit Building Society

Building Societies receive for investment in Shares or upon Deposit the savings of the people and from this fund make loans to assist individuals in acquiring their own homes. The first building society was founded in the 1770s. Originally most were 'terminating societies' that closed once all the members had been housed. The statutory frame-work relating to building societies dates from the 1836 'Regulation of Benefit and Building Societies Act'. From 1830s 'permanent building societies' started to appear that continued on a rolling basis and a decade later building societies started to accept savings from those not holding a mortgage.

The biggest upheaval to the industry came in 1986 with the 'New Building Societies Act'. As well as granting societies wider powers, the Act gave building societies the option to "demutalise". Abbey National was the first building society to do so in 1989.

Abbey National Building Society:

Formed in 1944 as Abbey National Building Society through the merger of the National Permanent Mutual Benefit Building Society and the Abbey Road Building Society. In 1989 Abbey National took advantage of the provisions of the 1986 New Building Societies Act to demutualise, becoming Abbey National plc. As a Public Limited Company (PLC), the Abbey was the first Building Society to change its status to that of a bank. Santander acquired the company in November 2004 and was rebranded in 2009/10 to become recognisably part of the Santander Group. Head offices: Abbey National House, 219-229 Baker Street (1944-2002); 2 Triton Square, Regent's Place (2002-); with offices in Milton Keynes and elsewhere and branches throughout the United Kingdom.

National Building Society:

The Society was founded in 1849 by a trio of Liberal MPs. The Society was officially registered as the National Permanent Mutual Benefit Building Society and commonly known under the authorised name, The National Freehold Land Society (rather than The Metropolitan Freehold Land Society which was the name which was first proposed). In 1894 the commonly known title changed to The National Freehold Land and Building Society, and again in 1930 to The National Building Society. In 1856 the Society formed a subsidiary, The British Land Company, which parted from the National in 1878, marking the National's transition from land society to a building society. Head offices: 11 Poultry (1849); 2 Moorgate Street (1850; 14 (afterwards 25) Moorgate (1852-circa 1914); 39 Moorgate; Coleman Street; National House, 12-18 Moorgate (1930-1943), all City of London; an emergency wartime office was opened at Pewley Fort, Pewley Hill, Guildford, Surrey.

Abbey Road Building Society:

Founded in 1874 as the Abbey Road and St. John's Wood Permanent Benefit Building Society, based in a Baptist church on Abbey Road, Kilburn. Incorporated 1878. President was Reverend William Stott (from before 1886-1920). Later became Abbey Road Permanent Benefit Building Society, then renamed Abbey Road Building Society. Head offices: Abbey Road (1874-); 45 Fordwych Road, West Hampstead (1886-1890); 16 Finchley Road (before 1894-1927); Abbey House, 219-229 Baker Street (from 1927, with later extension and re-opening in 1932); Limpley Stoke, Wiltshire during Second World War. Gilbert Lane, Secretary (-1921); Harold Bellman, Secretary (1921-1926) General Manager (1927-1929) and Managing Director (from 1929).