Banknotes Come Alive - Again!

During August 2004 visitors to the Bank’s Museum met Florence Nightingale, Charles Dickens, The Duke of Wellington and Sir Isaac Newton ‘in person’. Actors portraying the four, who have variously appeared on the £1, £5, and £10 banknotes, were dressed in character to help emphasise the stories they told.

Back to past exhibitions

Florence Nightingale

Best remembered as 'The Lady of the Lamp', Florence Nightingale explained that her influence on medicine was due as much to her work as a reformer of hospitals and a pioneer of nursing as to the help she gave to the thousands of wounded British soldiers in the Crimean War.

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens read some extracts from his novels specifically relating to London and money.

Duke of Wellington

Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, explained why he was a great military leader, talked about his victory against Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo and how he gained the nickname the "Iron Duke".

Sir Isaac Newton

With the help of a skateboard and other modern devices, Sir Isaac Newton told about his contribution to the world of science.