About this event
When: Wednesday 22 April, 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Join us for a lively lunchtime dive into 'Pirates, Punters, and Politicians: How the Bank of England Was Founded', a vivid retelling of the unlikely origins of the Bank of England.
About the event
"A pirate is not all that different from a financier, and a financier is always a storyteller."
In Pirates, Punters, and Politicians, Val Hamilton vividly tells the story of the origins of the Bank of England, delving into the mishaps, fortunes, and bizarre twists of fate - from Spanish treasure and swashbucklers to sheer happenstance and political manoeuvring - that came together to create the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street.
The story hinges of the life and works of William Paterson, the Scotsman who founded the Bank. Chancer or genius? Author Val Hamilton suggests he had to be both.
About the speaker
Val Hamilton studied English Literature and Language at Manchester University before teaching in the UK, Denmark, and Boston, where she also worked with disadvantaged young people. Returning to London, Val lead a major action-research project aimed at improving services for young people in trouble. Building on this work, she studied Organisation Development at Sheffield Business School and went on to establish a specialist consultancy in the City of London, focusing on managing change and personal development.
