Historical Anecdotes from the Bank of England
The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street and Museum
Oct 30, 2009
The Bank of England, known affectionately as the "Old Lady of Threadneedle Street" was founded in the late 17th century and moved to Threadneedle Street in London in 1736. It still stands today and has had a long and colorful history.
The Missing Bank Note
A few years after the Bank of England's move to Threadneedle Street, one of the bank's directors wanted to buy a home outside of London and was issued a bank note to the value of £30,000. He was a busy man and made a quick trip home to lock it away. But once home, he was interrupted and left the note on the mantle piece. It was gone when he returned and he assumed a draft caused it to drift into the burning flames of the fireplace. Fortunately, the bank agreed to issue a replacement.
Thirty years later, a man came in with the note in hand. The director had long since died and this gentlemen had recently purchased his old house to demolish it. In the process of demolishing, he found the old bank note behind the mantle and attempted to cash it in.
There was much argument over the matter, but he was determined, insisting the note was not void and its history had nothing to do with him. Since the note was made payable to the "bearer," the bank had no choice, and paid the £30,000.
The Sad Story of Sarah Whitehead
The "Old Lady" even has a couple of ghosts in the garden, believed to be that of a nun and a young woman by the name of Sarah Whitehead.
Sarah's story is a tragic one. In 1811, her brother Philip was employed by the bank, and he and his sister somehow managed to live beyond their means. The bank could find no proof against him, but dismissed him anyway, just in case. Philip kept his dismissal a secret from his younger sister and soon began forging checks. He was caught and hanged very quickly.
Sarah knew nothing about this. When he didn't come home, she assumed he'd been press-ganged and didn't attempt to seek him out until some years later. When she learned what really happened she was she was shocked.
She came to the bank every day for the next 25 years, searching for her brother. When she died, she was buried in the churchyard of St. Christopher-le-Stocks. The church is now part of the grounds of the Bank of England. Her ghostly appearances are brief, but she is said to appear distressed and mournful.
The Giant's Tomb
In the late 18th century a man by the name of William Jenkins was a long-time employee of the bank. He was very tall at 6'- 7-1/2" and always had a great fear that when he was dead and buried the "resurrection men" would dig up his corpse and sell it to the anatomists at St. Bartholomew Hospital.
Even as a young man, he'd already been approached by surgeons offering him up to 200 guineas for his corpse. He died in 1798, and upon agreement with the bank, he was buried early one morning in the banks courtyard garden.
In 1933, excavations took place for some bank renovations and a lead coffin was discovered below the courtyard, which had once been the churchyard of St. Christoper-le-Stocks. It was buried nearly 9ft below the surface and was 7ft 6" long. The name, Mr. William Danl. Jenkins, was inscribed on a metal plate. Died 24 March, 1798. His body now lies in the catacomb of Nunhead Cemetary, too big for the vaults.
The Bank of England Museum
The Bank of England has a terrific museum. It is located on Threadneedle Street. Admission is free as are most of the museums in London. They are generally open when the bank is open or 10 am to 5 pm.
The museum collections include old coins and banknotes, books, documents, manuscripts, furniture, photographs, art, and other artifacts.
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