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5 Pounds Sterling 1943, Kingdom of Great Britain

in Banknotes Book Number: BE91
Years of issue: 19.06.1943
Edition: --
Signatures: Chief Cashier: Mr. Kenneth Oswald Peppiatt (in office from 1934 till 1949)
Serie: England
Specimen of: 1934
Material: Cotton fiber
Size (mm): 215 х 130
Printer: TDLR (Thomas de la Rue & Company), London

* All pictures marked magnify are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.

** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.

5 Pounds Sterling 1943

Description

Watermark:

watermark

Zigzag strips are around the field, similar to the waves, and the inscription: "Bank of England" on top and lower.

Right and left bank symbols in the squares.

Centered inscription: "Five" in a rectangular frame. Below the inscription: "KO64" on a black background.

Avers:

5 Pounds Sterling 1943

Top left featured a rather demure seated Britannia with curiously a spear and an olive branch possibly offering a choice of peace or war.

Britannia

In this version of Britannia - The bee skep (beehive) beside her symbolize the bank as a store of the nation's riches or the industry of the bank in looking after the nation’s money. The idea of dressing Britannia as a noble Saxon lady came from Daniel Maclise, RA (1806-1870) in 1855, who used his daughter as the model. The ornamental clasp on her cape indicates a rank of nobility. Such Britannia appeared on British banknotes from 1855 to 1956.

Revers:

5 Pounds Sterling 1943

White background.

Comments:

Thin paper.

peppiatt

Chief Cashier to the Bank of London, Kenneth Oswald Peppiatt, signing the Bank Returns Statement.

Kenneth Oswald Peppiatt was the 20th Chief Cashier holding the post between 1934 and 1945. Born in 1893, educated at Bancroft’s School, he joined the bank in 1911. He fought in the 1st World War, was wounded twice and won the Military Cross for his efforts. He was knighted in 1941, became Executive Director in 1949 and retired from the Bank of England in 1957, after which he became a non-executive director at "Coutts Bank".

Kenneth Oswald Peppiatt died on 12 May 1983, aged 90. (www.adcastle.co.uk)