Aughnacloy Bank, James Falls 1804

[callahiljo]

Here's another one. The Aughnacloy Bank of James Falls, came and went in 1804 like quite a few small operations at that time. The only detail I have been able to find is in PMI 2nd edition. Some years ago I bought a plate for the 5s 5d note he probably also issued. Only one fully issued Aughnacloy note has been seen, for 1s 7 1/2d and illustrated in PMI. I came across it in the National Library in Dublin.

The 5s 5d plate was mis-described in an auction as "probably Welsh" (!) when the simple use of a mirror would have revealed what it was. It was somewhat bent and damaged but I found a printer ready to straighten it out and make pulls from it. I had 20 pulls printed and have sold some of them, at £20 each. I have a few left, by the way, if anyone is interested. Meanwhile here is a scan of the pull. The promissory text reads ‘I will count this Ticket as Five Shillings and Five Pence in any Change or Payment to be made to me’.

[The Governor]

Post moved.

[DOC]

Great to see the design of this unusual denomination preserved for posterity. The Aughnacloy Bank appears to have been a small scale operation set up by James Falls to overcome the lack of coinage available to merchants and shopkeepers in the early 1800’s. He appears to have been involved in various businesses such as hardware and property management and the bank was probably a sideline activity. I found an interesting notice from 1806 requesting the holders of his few outstanding notes to present them for payment.

[Mac]

Another example of a merchant who issued some currency to facilitate other business activities.