Financial institution Underground is about to take a break for the festive season. Consistent with custom, we’re happy to current the annual Financial institution Underground Christmas Quiz! This yr, it’s been ready with the type help of the Financial institution of England’s Archive workforce. We hope you get pleasure from testing your data of the Financial institution’s historical past, particularly the way it has marked Christmas in years previous. We want our readers a really comfortable festive season!
1) When was the Financial institution of England Archive established?
1929.
Appropriate. The Financial institution of England was based in 1694, and lots of the data are a lot older than the institution of the Archive round a century in the past. Anybody can go to the Archive (by appointment) for analysis functions or seek the advice of its catalogue on-line Financial institution of England Archive.
Supply: Financial institution of England.
2) What’s the date of the oldest report held by the Financial institution’s Archive?
1516.
Appropriate. These oldest data relate to the Financial institution’s Threadneedle Avenue web site and the encircling space. The Financial institution’s London workplace continues to be based mostly on Threadneedle Avenue, albeit the workplace has been via many iterations over the previous 330 years. Yow will discover out extra concerning the newest incarnation of the Financial institution of England constructing within the present exhibition on the Financial institution of England museum, Constructing the Financial institution – 100 years on.
Archive image: E56/971.
Supply: Financial institution of England.
3) What number of data does the Financial institution’s Archive maintain?
121,000.
Appropriate. Amongst different issues, the Archive incorporates minutes of the Financial institution’s governing committees, workers data, buyer account and inventory ledgers, architectural plans and drawings of the unique constructing, correspondence from regional branches on developments in native commerce and trade, and the Financial institution’s photographic assortment.
Supply: Financial institution of England.
4) If all the data within the Archive have been laid side-by-side, what distance would they stretch?
4.0 km.
Appropriate. Meaning our cabinets would stretch all the best way from the Financial institution of England’s Threadneedle Avenue constructing to Buckingham Palace.
Supply: Financial institution of England.
5) Former Governor Montagu Norman gave the porters at Victoria Station what at Christmas?
Cheese.
Appropriate. Montagu Norman was Governor from 1920 till 1944, by far the longest interval served by anybody on this submit. He was instrumental in creating central financial institution co-operation and travelled over 243,000 miles in pursuit of this purpose, Bitesize: The travels of Montagu Norman.
Archive image: G15/645.
Supply: Financial institution of England.
6) What’s the date of the Financial institution’s first official Christmas card?
1925.
Appropriate. 100 years on, the Financial institution nonetheless makes Christmas playing cards out there for its workers to make use of, although they’re now primarily e-cards.
Supply: Financial institution of England.
7) What did this primary Christmas card depict?
A Christmas tree.
Incorrect
Backyard Court docket within the Financial institution.
Appropriate.
Archive image: 22A31/1.
Supply: Financial institution of England.
Threadneedle Avenue façade.
Incorrect
8) When was the primary Financial institution Christmas Carol Service held?
1953.
Appropriate. The service was held on the Guild Church of St Mary Woolnoth, Lombard Avenue, not removed from the Financial institution.
Supply: Financial institution of England.
9) From the Nineteen Fifties to the Nineties the Governor gave a speech at which Christmas lunch?
British Bankers’ Affiliation.
Incorrect
Company of London.
Incorrect
London Inventory Alternate.
Appropriate. The London Inventory Alternate was established in 1801 and, as a key a part of the monetary infrastructure of the Metropolis of London, has all the time had an in depth relationship with the Financial institution.
Supply: Financial institution of England.
Financial institution of England Sports activities Membership.
Incorrect
10) Which one of many following has not been a surname of former worker of the Financial institution?
Gabriel.
Appropriate. William Abbot Angel was a clerk within the Nineteen Twenties; William Christmas labored within the ‘Consols Workplace’ within the 1840s (consols, brief for Consolidated Annuities, have been a kind of presidency inventory); Edward De Montjoie Rudolf labored on the Financial institution between 1936 and 1971, holding varied posts, together with Auditor.
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