I have had a bank account since the early 60s and never had to get a male, or female relative to give permission to either access my money or use/obtain a cheque book.
I do remember, when we opened our first joint account in 1969, being asked to explain why two chequebooks were required and telling the officious bank clerk that as there were two account holders we needed two chequebooks. I think I was a tad scary even all those years ago so a second chequebook was issued without further comment.
I have a feeling that maybe some women even in the 60s felt that they had to let their husbands control all finances so maybe a wife asking her husband for permission to spend money unsupervised was still an accepted practice and this was why Deirdre felt she had to raise the question of getting access to their joint account.
Add/ I also got a cheque guarantee card well before I married in 1969 and again never had to get any form of permission to do so though I was getting a monthly salary paid into the account it was attached to so I assume that was all that was required