Abstract
This article reveals a little known and extraordinary relationship between the powerful Bank of England and hundreds of London men and women it had successfully prosecuted for circulating forged bank notes at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The relationship was conducted in writing, by prisoners in Newgate prison awaiting, sometimes many long months, ships to transport them to Australia for fourteen years. Women were the main protagonists in this correspondence, which brought them remarkable results in terms of pecuniary relief and other favours. Such favours were bestowed in a strongly gendered way, revealing not only the Bank's attitude to women in distress, but also the power of the female prisoners as they exploited the written word.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
