Bank Charter Act 1844

1844 CHAPTER 32 7 and 8 Vict

An Act to regulate the Issue of Bank Notes, and for giving to the Bank of England certain Privileges for a limited Period.

[19th July 1844]

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Short title given by Short Titles Act 1896 (c. 14) Act amended (S.) (N.I.) by Stamp Act 1854 (c. 83), s. 11

C2 Preamble omitted under authority of Statute Law Revision Act 1891 (c. 67)

1 Bank to establish a separate department for the issue of notes. U.K.

The issue of promissory notes of the governor and company of the Bank of England, payable on demand, shall be separated and thenceforth kept wholly distinct from the general banking business of the said governor and company; and the business of and relating to such issue shall be thenceforth conducted and carried on by the said governor and company in a separate department, to be called “the Issue Department of the Bank of England,” . . . F1

Textual Amendments

F1 Words repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1973 (c. 39), Sch. 1 Pt. IV

2, 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F2 Ss. 2, 3 repealed by Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928 (c. 13), Sch.

4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F3 S. 4 repealed by Currency and Bank Notes Act 1939 (c. 7), Sch.

5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F4 S. 5 repealed by Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928 (c. 13), Sch.

F5 6 Weekly account in form in schedule (A.) to be rendered by the Bank of England. U.K.

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Textual Amendments

F5 S. 6 repealed (21.2.2009) by Banking Act 2009 (c. 1), ss. 245, 263(1) (with s. 247); S.I. 2009/296, art. 3, Sch. para. 8

7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F6 S. 7 repealed by Finance Act 1972 (c. 41), Sch. 28 Pt. XI

8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F7 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F7 S. 8 repealed by Statute Law Revision (No. 2) Act 1874 (c. 96)

9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F8 Ss. 9, 13–20, 22 repealed by Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928 (c. 13), Sch.

10 No banker not issuing notes on 6th May 1844, to issue notes hereafter. U.K.

No person other than a banker who on the sixth day of May one thousand eight hundred and forty-four was lawfully issuing his own bank notes shall make or issue bank notes in any part of the United Kingdom.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C3 S. 10 repealed (E.W.) by Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928 (c. 13), Sch.

C4 S. 10 amended by Allied Irish Banks Act 1981 (c. x), s. 6(1)(b)

C5 S. 10 excluded (15.5.2012 coming into force in accordance with s. 3) by Bank of Ireland (UK) plc Act 2012 (c. i), ss. 1, 4(3) (with ss. 4(7), 5, 6) (see London Gazette (4.5.2012), Notice 1583811)

11 Restriction against issue of bank notes. U.K.

It shall not be lawful for any banker to draw, accept, make, or issue, in England or Wales, any bill of exchange or promissory note or engagement for the payment of money payable to bearer on demand, or to borrow, owe, or take up, in England or Wales, any sums or sum of money on the bills or notes of such banker payable to bearer on demand, . . . F9

Textual Amendments

F9 Words repealed by Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928 (c. 13), Sch.

F10 12 Bankers ceasing to issue notes may not resume. U.K.

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Textual Amendments

F10 S. 12 repealed (23.11.2009) by Banking Act 2009 (c. 1), ss. 214(3)(a), 263(1) (with s. 247); S.I. 2009/3000, art. 3

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C6 S. 12 repealed (E.W.) by Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928 (c. 13), Sch.

13—20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F11 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F11 Ss. 9, 13–20, 22 repealed by Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928 (c. 13), Sch.

21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F12 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F12 S. 21 repealed by Banking Act 1979 (c. 37, SIF 10), s. 51(2), Sch. 7

22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F13 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F13 Ss. 9, 13–20, 22 repealed by Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928 (c. 13), Sch.

23, 24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F14 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F14 Ss. 23, 24 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1971 (c. 52), Sch. Pt. III

25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F15 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F15 S. 25 repealed by Bankers' Compositions Act 1856 (c. 20)

26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F16 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F16 S. 26 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1973 (c. 39), Sch. 1 Pt. IV

F17 27 Bank to enjoy privileges, subject to redemption. U.K.

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Textual Amendments

F17 S. 27 repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), Sch. 1 Pt. 17 Group 2

28 Interpretation clause. U.K.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F18 in this Act. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F18 the term “Bank of England notes” shall extend and apply to the promissory notes of the Bank of England payable to bearer on demand; and the term “banker” shall extend and apply to all corporations, societies, partnerships, and persons, and every individual person, carrying on the business of banking, whether by the issue of bank notes or otherwise, except only the Bank of England; and the word “person” used in this Act shall include corporations; and the singular number in this Act shall include the plural number, and the plural number the singular, except where there is any thing in the context repugnant to such construction; and the masculine gender in this Act shall include the feminine, except where there is any thing in the context repugnant to such construction.

Textual Amendments

F18 Words repealed by Statute Law Revision (No. 2) Act 1893 (c. 54)

29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F19 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F19 S. 29 repealed by Statute Law Revision (No. 2) Act 1874 (c. 96)

SCHEDULES to which the Act refers.

SCHEDULE (A.) U.K.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C7 Power to modify Sch. (A.) given by Coinage Act 1971 (c. 24), s. 12(4) Sch. (A.) modified by Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928 (c. 13), s. 10

Bank of England.

An Account pursuant to the Act 7 & 8 Vict. Cap. for the Week ending on the day of

Issue Department.

	£		£
Notes issued		Government debt
		Other securities
		Gold coin and bullion
		Silver bullion
	————		————
	£		£
	————		————

Dated the day of 18 .

———————Cashier

Banking Department.

	£		£
Proprietors capital		Government securities (including dead weight annuity)
Rest		Other Securities
Public deposits (to include Exchequer, saving banks, commissioners of national debt, and dividend accounts)		Notes
Other deposits		Gold and silver coin
Seven day and other bills
	————		————
	£		£
	————		————

Dated the day of 18 .

———————Cashier.

F20 F20 SCHEDULES (B.), (C.) U.K.

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Textual Amendments

F20 Schs. (B.), (C.) repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1971 (c. 52), Sch. Pt. III