Description
Great Britain, County Durham, Durham Bank, Jonathan Backhouse & Co (1774-1896), provincial £5 banknote, dated 17 October 1868, printed black serial number CA0596, early type with serial number also handwritten on the back, signed by John Henry Backhouse, entered by J. Barnes, additional signature of a clerk (L. F. Ridley) on the back, detailed vignette to left showing allegorical female figure sitting on a rock with cornucopia, eagle, snake and dog, “DARLINGTON 1774” engraved on the rock, the Prebend Bridge over river in the distance with Cathedral and Castle behind, “£5” denomination top right corner, “Five Pounds” denomination in lower left corner, “I Promise to pay the Bearer on demand FIVE POUNDS Value Received” at centre, back “J. BACKHOUSE & Co” over blue FIVE and geometric underprint, engraved by “Ashby” of London, 208mm x 108mm. Endorsement stamp on the back of “Middleton Teeside. Mr 16 1870”. Purple “BARCLAYS BANK, DURHAM TO HEAD OFFICE LONDON” stamp on the front.
Cross cancelled with signatures marked through but still present, ink annotations on the back, fine and very rare as a complete early note.