A LITTLE BANK OF ENGLAND

Evening Star, Issue 22535, 31 December 1936, Page 1

A LITTLE BANK OF ENGLAND

.NO PILFERING POSSIBLE i —— There has recently come to the Guildhall an ancient moneybox which should defeat the most determined pilferer (writes Quintin Waddington, in the ‘ Evening News The box itself has no cracks or chink* which might in the course of time —with or without a little human aid—grow wide enough to let even a thin silver penny through. It is in one piece, turned out of a solid block of oak. The lid is another single piece of wood, close fitting, and hinged at the back to the iron bands and plates with which th* whole is bound. This cover is cup-shaped, so that the coins of the faithful might easily find their way down to the slot in the middle. And to prevent the whole thing being carried bodily away, into its iron framework is incorporated the end link of a stout iron chain, the other end of which was doubtless securely attached to the wall or pillar > by . which it stood. There still remained the chance that soma evilly disposed person, finding himself alono with the box, might yet turn . it upsid* down, and by shaking, assisted psrhaps by the blade of a knife, persuade coins tto slip out again by way of • the slot. This possibility has been guarded against by a, simple but effective device. Inside of tha cover is a sheet of metal, bent so that each coin coming in falls, as it were, on the ridge of a little roof, down which, it slides on one side or the other. And this bent plate entirely prevents any coin, opce inside, from presenting itself “edge on” to the slit. Of course, one day, by the appointed official at the appointed time, the box would be unlocked, and be would ; pour out the coins, the , sum total of which no one on earth can possibly know. A position, surely, pf some temptation! That is why there are two keyholes , at the bottom. The keys for these are quits unlike each other. One is a hollowstemmed “ pipe '’ key; the other a solid shafted “ broach ” key. And the box can bo opened only when the holders of both the keys are present. For whom, and when, this box was mads wc do, not know. But it was at a time - when there were no copper coins, and when silver, pieces were a good deal thinner than they are to-day. This suggests a dat* before the davs of William 111.