Prisoners' Letters to the Bank of England, 1781-1827Deirdre Palk In British gaols and on hulks, awaiting transportation to New South Wales, prisoners convicted of forged paper currency offences wrote to their influential prosecutor, the Bank of England. This volume comprises several hundred of such letters held in the Bank's archives. Many, mainly those wirtten by or for women, came from the depths of abject misery and poverty, begging help to cope with prison conditions and with the journey to Australia. Others offered information to the Bank about forged note traffickers in the hope of gaining some benefit for themselves. The collection reveals an extraordinary story of a surprising relationship between convicted prisoners and a mighty financial institution. |
Common terms and phrases
allowance Annotated assist Attached Bank investigator Bank note Bank of England Bank solicitors BECLS beg leave behalf Benevolent Charity Birmingham bound to Pray Children Cloaths Coldbath Fields prison Confinement Consideration convicted copy letter Deptford Duty Bound Elizabeth favour forged Bank forged notes forgery formal petition fourteen Freshfields friends Giltspur Street compter Governor grant Honble Gentlemen Hond Sir Honoured Sir Horsemonger Lane gaol humanity humble Petitioner Humble Sert Humble Servant humbly beg humbly hope husband illegible word implore James Holman John John Bellairs July kind Lancaster castle Langstone harbour Liberty I take London Lord Sidmouth Mary Ann Mercy Newgate obliged offence Old Bailey pardon the Liberty plead guilty pleased Portsmouth request respect Retribution hulk Sarah Sarah Carter sent sentence Serv¹ Sir I hope solicit South Wales suffering take the liberty Thomas transport ship trouble undated unfortunate unhappy uttering wich Wife Woolwich writing yrs trspn