William Shakespeare 10 Pound Sterling Note Stratford upon Avon Old Bank
STRATFORD UPON AVON OLD BANK BRANCH OF THE STOURBRIDGE & KIDDERMINSTER BANKING COMPANY
Stratford-upon-Avon, the town where William Shakespeare was born
Stratford upon Avon Old Bank, black and white, value at lower left, centre and centre as protector in blue, William Shakespeare at centre, bank name on reverse in blue guilloche design.
Stourbridge & Kidderminster Banking Company
The Stourbridge and Kidderminster Bank operated in England from 1834 to 1880.Stourbridge & Kidderminster Banking Company was established on 29 March 1834 by James Foster, a local iron manufacturer, in direct opposition to a private banking company, Bate & Robins. Foster held an account with this private bank and had been requested to reduce his overdraft. Consequently, with great indignation, he wheeled a barrow full of sovereigns into his bankers and poured them onto the floor. The slighted industrialist then proceeded to form his own bank with a group of friends - the Stourbridge & Kidderminster Banking Company.
Foster was the first chairman and the new Joint Stock Bank, which soon took over the business of a private bank in Stratford-Upon-Avon (Tomes, Chattaway and Ford, established in 1810). Ford remained in Stratford as the branch manager. Joint stock banking in the West Midlands grew increasingly successful and the Stourbridge & Kidderminster benefited from the failure of two private banks in the area in 1851, gaining many customers from the bank closures.
It was taken over by the Birmingham Banking Company in 1880.
Old Bank, Stratford-upon-Avon
Built for the Birmingham Banking Company in 1883, the Old Bank building was designed by Harris and Harris Architects. The mosaic portrait of William Shakespeare by Salviati can be found above the main entry door. The original memorial bust that Shakespeare's wife commissioned after his death is located in the church where the author was both baptized and buried. The Old Bank is now home to a branch of HSBC (The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation).
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| Mosaic of William Shakespeare, HSBC, The Old Bank, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom. |
Bank of England 10 Pound notes