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It has a unique role in our economy, promoting the good of the people of the United Kingdom by maintaining monetary and financial stability. However our Museum is about much more than money! Discover the history of the Bank, its buildings, and the people who have shaped it over more than 300 years.
Operating as usual
Vegetables! And lots of them for this week's letter 'V' #ArchiveZ campaign! We're amazed at the size and scale of the Bank's allotments back in 1942. Located at Roehampton, south west London, staff tended to the produce throughout the Second World War.
The architecture of the Bank of England has changed so much over our 326 year history. The print shows the building as it was in 1783 and the photograph shows us today! Quite the change isn't it!
If you are interested in the Bank's architecture, you can look through the albums collated by the #BoEArchive: https://b-o-e.uk/3lgbYDC
The tennis season has begun with ROLAND-GARROS well underway in Paris. It's also National Sporting Heritage Day so what better way to celebrate than with sharing some classic photographs from the Bank Archive of the tennis club in action. Here we can see the Bank's 1st Ladies team with their hands on a trophy in 1928; the second photo shows staff playing a game whilst they were evacuated during the Second World War to Hurstbourne, Hampshire. #BoEArchive #archive #archives #history #sportinghistory #frenchopen #tennis #photograph #photo #photography
Did you know that British Pathé has an incredible archive of footage? This short clip from Money Makers (1960) gives you a brief glimpse into a banknote designer's office and shows you how designs go from paper, to die to printing plate. It's an incredible insight and allows us to see how some of our objects would have been used! 📽💷 https://b-o-e.uk/3hVJeOF
video clip © British Pathé
M/S of two men sitting at tables in an office; they both have drawing boards before them and are designing bank notes, with art materials beside them. M/S ov...
We're so excited that it's Birmingham Heritage Week! As you may (or may not!) know, the Bank of England used to have a Branch in Birmingham. It was fabulous too, very grand and based on Union Street, then Bennett's Hill and also on Temple Row. Whilst it was open, it issued its own banknotes and operated as a way to reach out to other areas of the country. Sadly, the branch closed in 1997 but we have plenty of bits in our collection that are reminders of the place and people who worked there!
Some of our favourite objects include these sketches taken from a series of ledgers. They were drawn by a member of staff who sketched scenes of life inside and outside of the Branch. We also have this dexterity test which was used to train and develop staff - handling banknotes is a delicate task after all! Also, this rather charming picture of the Branch when it was based in Bennett's Hill, from the #BoEArchive.
Today, we don't have branches but instead have Agencies who work with people and business in the area collecting economic data that influence policy decisions (shout out to the West Midlands Agency!).
Anyway, the Birmingham Heritage Week festival goes on until the 20th September, so plenty of time to get involved. They have some amazing events planned, socially distanced and even some that are online!
Have a go at making your own banknote in this fun workshop video with artist Brenda Coyle 💷 🖍️🎨. Get creative and tag us in your works! https://b-o-e.uk/2ZJDmSr
And the winners of our #DrawingMoney competition are (drum roll please)...
Beulah from Cardiff (age 5-7 category), Mirabel from Hastings (age 8-9 category) and Abigail from Northampton (age 10-11 category)!
Congratulations to you all for your absolutely fantastic designs! Thanks also to everyone who took part - we have had so much fun looking through your submissions and hope you had fun making them.
This week's #ArchiveZ is 'Q' so what better photograph for us to share than that of a good old fashioned queue! This wonderful photo from the Bank's historical photograph collection shows Bank staff awaiting their turn to purchase punnets of fruit during their evacuation to Hampshire during the Second World War. #BoEArchive
The Totally Thames Festival begins today and goes on all throughout September.
The Thames has played a huge role in the development and history of London - so you can find references to it all throughout our collection. For example, on our Art UK pages you can see some of the fantastic oil paintings in our collection. One of our favourites is Old London Bridge, by Samuel Scott. We even have an object in our collection that was found by a mudlarker! This mug fragment was found in 2018 near Tilbury for the rather fancy St Luke's Club.
You can find out more about the incredible programme of events that they have lined up here: https://b-o-e.uk/3jCVNQb
As part of this week's #ArchiveZ, P is for Picquet!
On the 6th June 1780, the Lord Mayor requested the Secretary of State 'for some horse and foot in order to protect Mansion House and the Bank.' This call for help followed the burning down of Newgate prison during the Gordon Riots. The Bank was attacked but the military guard offered some protection, and thereafter a nightly guard was provided to the Bank of England. The Foot Guards continued to fulfil their public duties by manning several sites across central London in the early 19th century including the Bank of England at night. Further information on the history and role of the Bank Picquet can be found here:
https://b-o-e.uk/3hHjXby
Photograph showing 'The Bank Hut' YMCA at St Martin's Plain, Shornecliffe in 1918. (Ref. 15A13/14/5)
It's #NationalDogDay and we honestly couldn't be happier! We've removed 4 fantastic pups from this painting of Covent Garden by Jan Griffier I. Can you spot where they were meant to be? 🐶🔎🤔
Did you miss our #DrawingMoney competition? Not to worry! You can follow our free online workshop with artist Brenda Coyle and make your own personalised banknote! 🎨💷 Let us know how you get on and tag us in your designs! https://b-o-e.uk/3hqqLdA
Thank you to everyone who took part in our #DrawingMoney competition. You sent us lots of amazing designs. Our judges are busy looking through all the entries. We will announce winners on 10th of September so watch this space!
Today is the last day of our #DrawingMoney competition! Enter your banknote design for a chance to win some prizes https://b-o-e.uk/2CwdMYE #Numistastic
As part of the #ArchiveZ campaign, we are exploring different documents from the #BoEArchive every week. This week, we're shining a light on notices and news releases. They have been produced by the Bank of England for decades, and through them we can learn a lot of detail about its history! As early as 1806, the Bank placed notices containing lists of its directors, and the names of cashiers authorised to sign notes. More recently, 20th century press notices included the establishment of regional agencies and announcements of senior staff appointments.
Remember - this is the last week of our #DrawingMoney competition! All entries must be in by midnight Friday 14th! One of us have had a go at it too. Check out this design based around Ilford in East London!
Our #DrawingMoney competition continues this week - what colours are you putting on your design? For the Bank of England the main colour of each denomination or value has been kept the same since the 1970s to help people identify them!
£5=🔵 £10=🔶 £20=💜 £50=🔴
Colours also appear in the security features, in the holograms, miniature designs and so much more!
Our Drawing Money competition is open until 14th August - so why not give it a go! https://b-o-e.uk/33kYzo5
'L' for this week's #ArchiveZ could only mean one thing for us - ledgers, and lots of them! With over 10,000 stock ledgers alone, they are the Bank of England Archive's largest series of records. They are extremely heavy to lift off the shelves, but they are in great condition despite their age and size. The unique data found within the stock ledgers also makes them a valuable primary source for researchers and economic historians across the world! #BoEArchive
Need some inspiration for your #DrawingMoney entry? Well, don't you worry - we're here to help! Lots of amazing landmarks and buildings across the UK have featured on banknotes.
The lovely Worcester Cathedral appeared on the £20 series E variant, and the new £20 issued in February features Margate Lighthouse. Of course the Bank of England itself has made an appearance on a note too!
Both Clydesdale Bank and The Royal Bank of Scotland banknotes show the fantastic Edinburgh Castle and the Bank of Scotland Bridge series notes include a view of the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct in Inverness-shire. The Bank of Ireland notes feature the local Bushmills Distillery. The 10LP (Lewes Pound) note includes a fantastic view of Lewes Castle (built around the 11th Century!).
So what about your town? Is there an iconic view that you would include on your own banknote? Check out our Summer drawing activity pages for the full details of the competition 👉 https://b-o-e.uk/2P26HSl
📷 Images from top left going clockwise:
Lewes Castle, from the Lewes £10 © Lewes Pound CIC
Worcester Cathedral, from the £20 series E variant © Bank of England
Margate Lighthouse, from the £20 series G, © Bank of England
Bushmills Distillery, from the £10 Bank of Ireland, © Bank of Ireland.
Looking for fun and creative things to do over the summer holiday? Take part in our drawing competition for 5 to 11 year olds for a chance to win some prizes. The competition closes 14 August. #DrawingMoney 🙌🎨💷
Design your own banknote that celebrates where you live!
Often affectionately known as the old 'Soane' Bank of England, the building designed by architect Sir John Soane was built during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Bank of England Archive's online gallery includes wonderful photographs from the turn of the century that show us what it really looked like. It remained in use until the 1920s when it was then demolished to make way for the current Bank of England standing on Threadneedle Street. #flashbackfriday
We are pleased to have teamed up with the Mayor of London and other amazing organisations on the London Learning at Home hub. Explore these fantastic resources, helping to keep London’s children and young people learning and connected to their city. https://b-o-e.uk/3gAdCO4 #LondonTogether
#OTD in 1827 the Bank of England opened a branch on Hanover Street in Liverpool. The lease of the premises had been purchased in January from a Mr William Earle for a total of £3000. With Samuel Turner as its Agent, the branch remained at this location until it moved to Castle Street in the 1840s. Their new home was a new building designed by architect C. R Cockerell between 1846-48, and was later listed as grade 1 in 1985 as a 'building of special architectural or historic interest'. The branch was later closed in November 1986, with a Liverpool Agency established in 1987. There are now twelve regional agencies operating across the United Kingdom. Many historical records regarding the operations of the Liverpool branch survive in the Bank Archive, including letter books and staff magazines.
#BoEArchive #archives #buildings #Liverpool
Happy Father's Day! We have lots of free activities for families to enjoy. Why not try a word search or you can even make your own gold bar money box at home! https://b-o-e.uk/3fEukeE. #FathersDay #FantasticForFamilies #FamilyFun #MuseumFromHome
What better way to begin the working week than with some furry friends! Our contribution for 'F' week as part of the #ArchiveZ campaign is 'farm animals'. Our photograph collection really does cover a huge range of topics. These wonderful photographs show life during the staff evacuation to Hampshire in WW2. As well as growing their own vegetables and helping with the harvest, staff reared their own animals including goats, rabbits, pigs and chickens!
#archive #archives #boearchive #photograph #photos
How much do you know about Britannia? She has been the symbol of the Bank of England since it was founded in 1694 - but what about before?
The first recorded person to use a variation of the term Britannia is the Greek explorer and geographer Pytheas in the 4th century BC. He, along with the Romans, used the term to refer to British Isles. When the Roman conquest began in AD. 43, the province that was set up was referred to as Britannia. Slowly, Britannia started to be personified as a female warrior similar in appearance to the goddess Minerva.
This design was created in the 1800s as a suggestion for a new appearance of Britannia on banknotes. Whilst sadly it was never used, it does hark back to her Greek and Roman roots!
Looking for inspiring art, hidden histories and great entertainment? Take a look at Our City Together, a new campaign by Visit the City of London to share inspiring, positive and thoughtful online content from the Square Mile and beyond. https://b-o-e.uk/2MsK1cy #OurCityTogether
We want to create more online activities for you to enjoy at home. Please take this short survey to tell us what you're interested in! https://b-o-e.uk/2XLSZXD.
Just in time for half term we’ve launched a new Home Learning Hub. It’s jam-packed with fun activities for all the family to get involved with. From drawing sheets, to word searches – there’s something for everyone! https://b-o-e.uk/2znjf2t
James Gillray's iconic cartoon Political Ravishment was published on this day 1797. It is the first printed mention of the Bank of England's nickname The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street. Want to know more? Click here 👉 https://b-o-e.uk/2Xk0dlt
In case you missed it, earlier this year we launched a new timeline looking back at past Bank of England governors! Using historic photographs from the Bank of England Archive, it covers governors from 1842 - 1944, including Montagu Norman and Walter Cunliffe. https://b-o-e.uk/2ToM8C2
This week we're participating in the great #ArchiveZ! Our 'B' for this week is architect Herbert Baker, designer of the current Bank of England building. Baker's design at the time was seen as controversial by many, but it is now registered as a Grade 1 listed monument. Many photographs of the rebuilt 'Baker Bank' as it was when it was finished in 1939 are now held in the Bank of England Archive.
#architecture #building #design #cityoflondon
If you are interested in the subjects of architecture, design or construction, don't forget to check out our online photograph galleries. Compiled using prints from the Bank's historic photograph collection, we can look back on the Bank's rebuilding during the 1920s.
Hundreds of photographs were taken on a near daily basis and they illustrate well the first hand changes across the building site as it took place over the decade and into the 1930s. The building as it now stands on Threadneedle Street was completed just before the outbreak of the Second World War.
https://b-o-e.uk/2yyE5Lx
Even though the museum is closed - you can still access our educational resources online! Our 'Keeping on an even keel' films are perfect for KS4+ and explore the Bank of England's main roles and responsibilities in 7 short modules. You can view it for free here: https://b-o-e.uk/3btzYyR
Keeping on an even keel: the role of the Bank of England is a short film that uses nautical metaphors and animation to explain the Bank's roles and responsib...
Our collection of counterfeits from the 19th & 20th century feature quite a few hand drawn wonders. Needless to say that some forgers were not natural born artists and that some of the finer design elements were lost. This can be seen best in relation to Daniel Maclise’s iconic design of Britannia, which featured on Bank of England banknotes from 1855 – 1950. Here are some of the least convincing copies that we have come across so far – but which do you think is the worst? Vote in the comments below!
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As part of World Sight Day 2020, we’re unveiling some brand new audio described content for those who are blind or partially sighted. This clip explores the Britannia relief which has been the emblem of the Bank of England for centuries! Have a listen and let us know what you think!
To celebrate World Sight Day 2020, we have created some brand new audio described content for those who are blind or partially sighted. Check out this clip which focuses on gold bars and their connection to the Bank of England. Have a listen and we would love to know what you think!
Peek inside the 19th century Bank of England! This painting by George Elgar Hicks shows our customers back in 1859. It even shows off some of John Soane's original architectural designs. Soane lived around the corner at Lincolns Inn (now Sir John Soane's Museum). See more of our objects here: https://b-o-e.uk/2ucbHfC
Why is Britannia shown eating her children on this imitation banknote? The note was designed as a protest against the harsh penalties for forging banknotes. See if you can spot any other gory details. See more of our objects here: https://b-o-e.uk/2Td41nY
On trend 2000 years ago! Many Roman artefacts were found under the Bank of England building. Some are now in the Museum of London but others, like this shoe, are part of our collection. See more of our objects here: https://b-o-e.uk/2QjvcvC
Our war memorial commemorates Bank of England staff who died in the two world wars. It was designed by British sculptor Richard Reginald Gouldon, a member of Royal Society of Sculptors and The Art Workers' Guild. Gouldon served with the Corps of Royal Engineers during the First World War. See more of our objects here: https://b-o-e.uk/2F3o2oB
It’s hat season! Would you wear a hat like this? 👒 It was designed for the women porters who started working at the Bank of England during the First World War. See more of our objects here: https://b-o-e.uk/36T6OGt
Can you guess what this strange contraption is for? We bet someone at the Science Museum guessed right! Have you worked it out? It’s a (rather large) calculator. See more of our objects here: https://b-o-e.uk/2YItvul
Check out this fancy perfume burner! It was designed by Matthew Boulton who currently features on our £50 banknote – soon to be replaced by Alan Turing. You can see more of Boulton’s work at his former home, Soho House Museum. See more of our objects here: https://b-o-e.uk/2OYUPkR
Look at this beautiful blue onion Meissen centrepiece! Did you know the Meissen was founded over 200 years ago? They still make porcelain in the blue onion pattern today! See more of our objects here: https://b-o-e.uk/2R2AVGR
Our free temporary exhibition Drawing Debden gives you a fantastic insight into the banknote printing process through the expressionist artworks of Feliks Topolski. Find out more and view exclusive online content here https://b-o-e.uk/2FTX0kY #TopolskiBoE
Looking for things to do in January? Why not visit our temporary exhibition Feliks Topolski: Drawing Debden which explores the banknote printing process in the 1950s through Topolski's incredibly vivid drawings. #TopolskiBoE
Ever wondered how we install exhibitions? Here's a time lapse video our collections staff working on our current exhibition 'Feliks Topolski: Drawing Debden' #TopolskiTuesday #TopolskiBOE #behindthescenes
Our new exhibition Feliks Topolski: Drawing Debden opens today until Spring 2019 🎉 #TopolskiBoE
Our family summer event #Goldrush starts on Monday. Follow the clues to solve the puzzle and win yourself some goodies! #free #summerevent https://b-o-e.uk/2uTMhjA
Join us for a night at the museum on Friday 18 May from 5.30pm. It’s free! https://b-o-e.uk/2rBOvn3 #museumsatnight #TGIF
Mike, our Archive Manager, joined the Bank of England 13 years ago today. So a perfect opportunity for us to revisit this film of him talking about his favourite item from the #BoEarchive: Bank Stock ledger No.1
A rare opportunity for an evening visit, with a spooky spin! With over 325 years of history, it's not surprising that the Bank of England has a few ghost stories to tell. Listen to the spooky tale of the Bank's nun at our #free #Museumsatnight event on Friday 27 October. http://bankofeng.uk/M9K430fXBGs
Exciting news! Our #MuseumsAtNight event is back on Friday 27 October, with a spooky spin! Listen to the mysterious tale of the Bank's nun retold by our storyteller at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm, plus much more. http://bankofeng.uk/6ebc30fW07n
Do you have what it takes to be a banknote detective? Grab a detectives badge and magnifying glass 🔍 and head round the museum, looking for fingerprints and solving clues. #familyfun #schoolholidays
We need your help this summer to identify the real name of the banknote forger ‘Old Patch’. Come to our free event and solve the puzzles inside the museum to crack the case. #banknotedetectives #familyfun
Exciting news! Our brand new exhibition ‘Stories from the City’ opens on Wednesday 19 July. Pop by and check it out! #CityStories2017
What are your plans for Friday night? Why not join us for this rare opportunity to explore our museum after dark! #MuseumsAtNight #Free
Exciting news! We will be opening our doors after dark on Friday 19 May for #MuseumsatNight. We have plenty of exciting events lined up, including the chance to get your hands on some unseen objects from our collection. Pop it in your diaries now! http://bankofeng.uk/qr2530bbWEf
How have banknotes changed over the past 300 years? Visit our new Banknote Gallery to find out.
Ever wondered what happens in the Bank of England Museum after dark? Join our #MuseumsAtNight free event this Friday 28 October.
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