Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a bank.

1972		Dodson & Saczek Dict. of Cockney Rhy. Sl.
1989		J. Morton Lowspeak.
1983		J. Byrell (con. 1959) Up the Cross 113: [He] strolled into his local jay arthur rank and opened The Cup Account.
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 155: 173 smackers he’s just withdrawn from his jay-arthur-rank.
2002		D. Shaw ‘Dead Beard’ at www.asstr.org 🌐 Vince was ambitious. Soon got himself tooled up with a lady of bristol and began turning over arthur j. [sic] ranks all over South London.

2. masturbation; occas as v. [= wank n. (1)].

1960		A. Buzo Front Room Boys Scene i: You had a quick J. Arthur, didn’t you, Presto?
1966		(con. 1954) J. McGrath Events While Guarding the Bofors Gun I i: Here, he’s having a crafty J. Arthur.
1977		S. Berkoff East in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 79: A J. Arthur reluctantly given.
1989		J. Morton Lowspeak.
1991		R.G. Barratt ‘I’m Pulling for Ya, Pee Wee’ in What Do You Reckon (1997) [ebook] [A] nice, relaxing J. Arthur Rank.
1997		Roger’s Profanisaurus in Viz 87 Dec. n.p.: J. Arthur rhym. slang Masturbation. From J. Arthur Rank – wank. For example, while watching blue movies Jonathan Ross might say: ‘Phwwoar! What I weally want wight now is a quick J. Arthur’.
2003		B. Dark Dirty Cockney Rhy. Sl.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 74: Ah consider huvin a J. Arthur Rank but ah’m too fucked eftir that shift.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 130: She did J. Arthur me off, focused oan my cock like a scientist conducting an experiment.
2023		R. Milward Man-Eating Typewriter 52: I wasn’t arthuring away in that box [ibid.] 239: [E]ven arthuring solo had its frightful drawbacks.

3. a fool [= wank n. (6)].

1977

D. Powis Signs of Crime 189: J. Arthur (Rank) [...] (b) to masturbate (wank) and, by extension, a fool: ‘What a J. Arthur he is!’.