Andrew Bailey

Today was the end of Andrew Bailey.

Andrew is still alive (as far as I know) but disappears into history for most of us as of today.

 

For it is his signature, as Chief Cashier of the Bank of England, that has changed pieces of paper into promissory notes - or, as we might say, real dosh.

 

 

 

Now, moving to another highly-paid job, we rely instead on the signature of Mr Salmon.  I do not know Mr Salmon either of course.

 

It is at least a little bit interesting that in the history of the Bank of England its notes have always been guaranteed by the signature of a man.  There may be irony there: it is certainly a pattern that also exists in the localised environment of our family . . .

 

Of deeper interest may be the continual reproduction of new signature notes (now somewhat inconvenient with electronic notereaders) as one office holder passes to another - a kind of economic never-ending relay race.

 

Casting a Biblical eye over it reminds me that the priesthood operated like this before it ended: Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives for ever, he has a permanent priesthood.   Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  The Lord is a better guarantee of everything important than anyone else is of anything.