The paper was easy to imitate. The punishment was not.
War with France had driven gold from circulation, so people suddenly handled low-value paper they barely knew. Printing quality varied. Forgers exploited the confusion, while people caught passing bad notes could face hanging and those convicted of possession could be transported. Cruikshank drew both fates: prison ships at the corners, leg irons down one side and bodies hanging across the top.
The satire did not single-handedly end the law, whatever Cruikshank later claimed. Executions continued, and forging a Bank of England note remained a capital offence until 1832. Its sharper point survives: trust cannot rest on punishment alone when the thing being trusted is hard to verify.
See the note’s hidden accusations →About half of 600 convictions ended at the gallows.
Fifty incubators could reach hospitals across Sudan.
Saarah’s Fund is raising for 50 low-cost incubators for hospitals across Sudan. Its Wonderful Org page says the charity has already funded 20 through the wider partnership. The current appeal had 101 donations and £13,407.31 plus £2,094.63 Gift Aid when checked on 4 August.
Support the incubator appeal →Your Direct Debit starts two days before it leaves.
Thursday: inside the three working-day Bacs cycle, why no money moves until day three, and how weekends and bank holidays turn a simple payment date into a scheduling problem.