Ffrench's Bank, Tuam, Co. Galway • 1803–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Banknotes issued by Irish Private Banks ca1700–ca1833
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Ffrench's Bank, Tuam, Co. Galway • 1803–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by Mac »

Tuam Bank.
Another one of the better known Irish private banks of which there are a good few notes extant.

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Tuam Bank One Guinea 1812

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Tuam Bank Three Guineas 1812

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Tuam Bank One Pound 1814
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by DOC »

Here is an earlier version of the £1 note from this partnership.
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Tuam Bank Ffrench's 1 Pound 29th Feb. 1812.jpg
Tuam Bank Ffrench's 1 Pound 29th Feb. 1812.jpg (28.1 KiB) Viewed 21046 times
Last edited by DOC on 11 Aug 2018 14:13, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by ThePloughman »

A few more denominations from the Tuam Bank.

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One Guinea and a Half 1812

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Tuam Bank 4 Guineas 1813 Post Bill

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30 Shilling note
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by DOC »

Here is a later example of the 1 Guinea note from this partnership dated 25th June 1813.
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Tuam Bank Ffrench's 1 Guinea 25th June 1813.jpg
Tuam Bank Ffrench's 1 Guinea 25th June 1813.jpg (30.38 KiB) Viewed 21045 times
Last edited by DOC on 11 Aug 2018 14:15, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

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Here is a later type 30 Shillings from the same partnership dated 10th February 1814.
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Tuam Bank Ffrench's 30 Shillings 10th Feb. 1814.jpg
Tuam Bank Ffrench's 30 Shillings 10th Feb. 1814.jpg (92.68 KiB) Viewed 21044 times
Last edited by DOC on 11 Aug 2018 14:18, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

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Here is a £3 Bank Post Bill from this partnership dated 29th February 1812. The note is signed by one of the partners William Keary.
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Tuam Bank  Ffrench's Post Bill £3 29th Feb.1812 Wm.Keary.jpg
Tuam Bank Ffrench's Post Bill £3 29th Feb.1812 Wm.Keary.jpg (98.99 KiB) Viewed 21043 times
Last edited by DOC on 11 Aug 2018 14:22, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

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Here is a £4 Bank Post Bill from this partnership dated 13th November 1811.
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Tuam Bank Ffrench's Post Bill £4 13th Nov. 1811.jpg
Tuam Bank Ffrench's Post Bill £4 13th Nov. 1811.jpg (63.71 KiB) Viewed 21042 times
Last edited by DOC on 11 Aug 2018 14:26, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by ThePloughman »

Seems like this bank concentrated mostly on lower denominations and issued the full range of values.
Four Pounds is a nice interesting one to have.
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by DOC »

Yes, many denominations were issued. The highest denomination I have seen for this bank is a £5 Post Bill, scan attached. This denomination is not mentioned in PMI so I suspect it is rare.
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Tuam Bank Ffrench's Post Bill £5 1814.jpg
Tuam Bank Ffrench's Post Bill £5 1814.jpg (43.44 KiB) Viewed 21041 times
Last edited by DOC on 11 Aug 2018 14:29, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by Mac »

Definitely interesting to see a fiver for this bank, even if it is a Post Bill.
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by DOC »

Ffrench's Bank was originally founded in Tuam in 1804 by Sir Thomas Ffrench. Here is a rare £1 note from 1809 with Thomas Ffrench as lead partner (now described as Rt Hon Lord Ffrench) and partners Henry Edmond Taafe, Michael Morris, William Keary and Hon Charles Ffrench.
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Ffrench's Bank Tuam 1  Pound 1809.jpg
Ffrench's Bank Tuam 1 Pound 1809.jpg (69.86 KiB) Viewed 20644 times
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by ThePloughman »

Interesting also to see that the design of this bill is different to the others picured.
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

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Yes, the note has a different design but the vignette depicting a female figure is similar to that used on later notes. From the attached examples of the vignette from later Tuam and Dublin notes, it can be seen that the figure is surrounded by ears of wheat. It seems likely that the female figure is a representation of Ceres, Roman Goddess of the harvest.
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Vignette Ffrench's Bank Dublin 17th March 1813 25 Shillings.jpg
Vignette Ffrench's Bank Dublin 17th March 1813 25 Shillings.jpg (106.07 KiB) Viewed 20498 times
Vignette Ffrench's Bank Tuam 1 Pound 24th May 1814.jpg
Vignette Ffrench's Bank Tuam 1 Pound 24th May 1814.jpg (90.71 KiB) Viewed 20498 times
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by Mac »

The earlier viginette is a much stronger engraving. Were they cutting back on the print quality of the notes, I wonder!
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by DOC »

Interesting point ! Things were not going well for Ffrench's Bank at the time the later note was issued (24th May 1814). The bank collapsed on June 27th 1814. :(
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by Mac »

Something to watch out for, quality reduction in a banknote issue!
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

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Here is a rare unissued Tuam Bank 3 Guinea Post Bill with Thomas Ffrench as lead partner. In 1805, Sir Thomas became Lord Thomas, a title he inherited upon the death of his mother. However, the title Lord Ffrench does not appear to be used on banknotes until about 1809. The partnership listings on this 3 Guinea note place the print date in the range 1806-1808.
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Ffrench's BankTuam Post Bill Tuam 3 Guineas ca.1806-1808.jpg
Ffrench's BankTuam Post Bill Tuam 3 Guineas ca.1806-1808.jpg (46.18 KiB) Viewed 20010 times
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

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Here is an example of a rare unissued silver note printed during the early days of the bank. Thomas Ffrench is listed as the sole partner on this note for 3 Shillings & 9 Pence Halfpenny (1/6th Guinea). The year of printing is most likely 1804 as silver notes were discontinued in 1805.
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Tuam Bank 3s 9d Halfpenny Unissued ca.1804.jpg
Tuam Bank 3s 9d Halfpenny Unissued ca.1804.jpg (112.21 KiB) Viewed 18549 times
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

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Very interesting. I haven't seen one of those bofore.
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Re: Ffrench's Bank, Charles & Co. Tuam, Co. Galway • 1812–1814 (AKA Tuam Bank)

Post by ThePloughman »

Design of the 'silver note' is very different from the later bills of the bank. Is it the same bank, or did the early bank go bust and then reform with more partners, and new designs for the paper issues?
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