NEVER NOTICED BEFORE

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2313, 4 December 1925, Page 9

NEVER NOTICED BEFORE

MATTER'S ON A BANK NOTE. OFFICIALS WERE IGNORANT. How many of us could describe the door knocker bn which we knock every day ? Or the pattern of the chjna off which we eat ? Or the tic-ket-collector to whom we say “Season!"; six times a week ? For the things with which we are most familiar are those that often leave only the vaguest impression on the mind. A five-pound note may not be so familiar as the door knocker or the breakfast china, yet how many of us who handle a live-pound note—even daily have noticed the peculiar wording: “For the Govor and Compa of the Bank of England"? Why “Compa”? The American’s Quest. A bank-note forger would take the word for. granted and copy it as it stands without further investigation, says a writer in "T.P.’s and Cassell’s Weekly.” But it remained for an American with both bank-notes and time on his hands to ask: “Compa 1 Why Compa ?” And so th e quest for information began. The query was first taken to the teller of a large bank in the city who handles hundreds of Bank of England notes every day. “compa ? I’ve never noticed it,” says he. “No Idea why they use it. I’ll call the manager.” The manager looked at the fivepound note and compared it with a' large bundle of fives, tens and fifties —nil signed with the queer word “Compa.” "I’ve been in banking ror thirty-two years,” he confessed, “and I’ve never noticed that. Why not ask the Bank of England ? They will toll you at once." Where the Bank Failed. Our American then carried his query to the Bank of England itself. A cashier had never noticed “Compa"’ and others around him could give no explanation. The persistent American was then taken into the sanctum of a great olficial —who had never noticed “Compa,” and was equally at a loss to answer the question, “Why Compa ?” He suggested, however, that the explanation would certainly be in the archives of the bank,, and if tVc visitor would return in a couple of days he would have a search made and the reply obtained. Meanwhile, the American put the query" to everyone whom he met, until at last he found the owner or an extensive iibrary, containing a very rare book on the history of the Bank of England. This book was originally written by a Greek, in Greek, and translated by a Frenchman into English. And bere the answer was found. Early Bankers. Towards the end of the 17th century the Lombards of Italy were responsible for the. introduction of banking into England,, and when' the Bank of England was founded in 1694 the Italian word Compagna, with its abbreviation “Compa,” was used instead of “Company.” An dever since'-ihere has been this abbreviation in the signature on all notes and documents of the bank; though it’s one of the “things we never notice.”