Forgery

1 Geo. 4. c. 92. “An Act for the further Prevention of forging and counterfeiting of Bank Notes.''

“Whereas the Forgery of Bank Notes hath of late very much increased in this Kingdom; and as well for the Prevention thereof, as to facilitate the Detection of the same, the Governor and Company of the Bank of England have, after great Consideration, Labour and Expence, formed a new Plan for printing Bank Notes, in which the Groundwork of each Bank Note will be Black or Coloured, or Black and Coloured Line Work, and the Words “Bank of England” will be placed at the Top of each Bank Note, in White Letters upon a Black, Sable, or Dark Ground, such Ground containing White Lines intersecting each other, and the numerical Amount or Sum of each Bank Note in the Body of the Note, will be printed in Black and Red Register Work.

And the Back of each Note will distinctly show the whole Contents thereof except the Number and Date in a reversed Impression: Therefore, for the better Prevention of the Forgery of Bank Notes, and for the Security of the Public; be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this Act, if any Person or Persons (other than the Officers, Workmen, Servants, and Agents for the Time being of the said Governor and Company, to be authorized and appointed for that Purpose by the said Governor and Company, and for the Use of the said Governor and Company only,) shall engrave, cut, etch, scrape, or by any other Art, Means, or Device make, or shall cause or procure to be engraved, cut, etched, scraped, or by any other Art, Means, or Device made, or shall knowingly aid or assist in the engraving, cutting, etching, scraping, or by any other Art, Means, or Device, making, in or upon any Plate of Copper, Brass, Steel, Iron, Pewter, or of any other Metal or Mixtures of Metal, or upon Wood or other Materials, or any Plate whatsoever, for the Purpose of producing a Print or Impression of all or any Part or Parts of a Bank Note, or of a Blank Bank Note, of the said Governor and Company, of the Description aforesaid, without an Authority in Writing from the said Governor and Company, or shall use any such Plate so engraved, cut, etched, scraped, or by any other Art, Means, or Device made, or shall use any other Instrument or Contrivance for the making or printing any such Bank Note or Blank Bank Note, or Part of a Bank Note of the Description aforesaid.

Or if any Person or Persons shall, from and after the passing of this Act, without such Authority as aforesaid, knowingly and without lawful Excuse, have in his, her, or their Custody any such Plate or Instrument, or without such Authority as aforesaid, shall knowingly or wilfully utter, publish, dispose of, or put away any such Blank Bank Note, or Part of such Bank Note, of the Description aforesaid, every Person so offending in any of the Cases aforesaid, and being thereof convicted according to Law, shall be adjudged a Felon, and shall be transported for the Term of Fourteen Years.

s. 2. “And whereas divers Frauds have been practised by making and publishing Papers with certain Words and Characters so nearly resembling the Notes of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, as to appear, to ignorant and unwary Persons, to be the Notes of the said Governor and Company.

And it is necessary for the Security of the Public, that such Practices, as applied to the Notes of the said Governor and Company of the Description aforesaid, should be prevented; be it therefore further enacted. That if any Person or Persons, from and after the passing of this Act, shall engrave, cut, etch, scrape, or by any other Art, Means, or Device make, or shall cause or procure to be engraved, cut, etched, scraped, or by any other, Art, Means, or Contrivance made, or shall knowingly aid or assist in the engraving, cutting, etching, scraping, or by any other Art, Means, or Contrivance making, in or upon any Plate of Copper, Brass, Steel, Iron, Pewter, or of any other Metal or Mixture of Metals, or upon Wood, or any other Materials, or upon any Plate whatsoever, any, Line Work, as or for the Ground Work of a Promissory Note, or Bill of Exchange, the Impression taken from which Line Work shall be intended to resemble the Ground Work of a Bank Note of the said Governor and Company of the Description aforesaid.

Or any Device, the Impression taken from which shall contain the Words “Bank of England” in White Letters upon a Black, Sable, or Dark Ground, either with or without White or other Lines therein, or shall contain in any Part thereof the numerical Sum or Amount of any Promissory Note or Bill of Exchange in Black and Red Register Work, or shall show the reversed Contents of a Promissory Note or Bill of Exchange, or of any Part of a Promissory Note or Bill of Exchange, or contain any Word or Words, Figure or Figures, Character or Characters, Pattern or Patterns, which shall be intended to resemble the Whole or any Part of the Matter or Ornaments of any Bank Note of the Description aforesaid, or shall contain any Word, Number, Figure, or Character, in White on a Black, Sable, or Dark Ground, either with or without White or other Lines therein, which shall be intended to resemble the numerical Sum or Amount in the Margin, or any other Part of any Bank Note of the said Governor and Company, without an Authority in Writing for that Purpose from the said Governor and Company, to be produced and proved by the Party accused.

Or if any Person or Persons shall, from and after the passing of this Act, (without such Authority as aforesaid), use any such Plate, Wood, or other Material so engraved, cut, etched, scraped, or by any other Art, Means, or Contrivance made, or shall use any other Instrument or Contrivance for the making or printing upon any Paper or other Material, any Word or Words, Figure or Figures, Character or Characters, Pattern or Patterns, which shall be intended to resemble the Whole or any Part of the Matter or Ornaments of any such Note of the said Governor and Company, of the Description aforesaid, or any Word, Figure, or Character, in White on a Black, Sable or Dark Ground, either with or without White or other Lines therein, which shall be apparently intended to resemble the numerical Sum or Amount in the Margin, or any other Part of any Bank Note of the said Governor and Company.

Or if any Person or Persons shall, from and after the passing of this Act, without such Authority as aforesaid, knowingly have in his, her, or their Custody or Possession, any such Plate or Instrument, or shall knowingly and wilfully utter, publish, or dispose of, or put away any Paper, or other Material containing any such Word or Words, Figure or Figures, Character or Characters, Pattern or Patterns, as aforesaid, or shall knowingly or willingly have in his, her or their Custody or Possession, any Paper or other Material containing any such Word or Words, Figure or Figures, Character or Characters, Pattern or Patterns as aforesaid, (without lawful Excuse, the Proof whereof shall lie upon the Person accused,) every Person so offending in any of the Cases aforesaid, and being convicted thereof according to Law, shall be adjudged a Felon, and shall be transported for the Term of Fourteen Years.”

11 Geo. 4. & 1 Will. 4. c. 66. “An Act for reducing into One Act all such Forgeries as shall henceforth be punished with Death, and for otherwise amending the Laws relative to Forgery.”

s. 13. “And be it enacted. That if any Person shall, without the Authority of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, to be proved by the Party accused, make or use, or shall without lawful Excuse, to be proved by the Party accused, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession any Frame, Mould, or Instrument for the making of Paper, with the words “Bank of England” visible in the Substance of the Paper, or for the making of Paper with curved or waving Bar Lines, or with the Laying Wire Lines thereof in a waving or curved shape, or with any Number, Sum, or Amount, expressed in a Word or Words in Roman Letters, visible in the Substance of the Paper.

Or if any Person shall, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid, manufacture, use, sell, expose to sale, utter or dispose of, or shall, without lawful Excuse, to be proved as aforesaid, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession any Paper whatsoever with the Words “Bank of England “visible in the Substance of the Paper, or any Paper with curved or waving Bar Lines, or with the Laying Wire Lines thereof in a waving or curved Shape, or with any Number, Sum, or Amount, expressed in a Word or Words in Roman Letters, appearing visible in the Substance of the Paper; or if any Person, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid, shall by any Art or Contrivance, cause the Words “Bank of England” to appear visible in the Substance of any Paper, or cause the numerical Sum or Amount of any Bank Note, Bank Bill of Exchange, or Bank Post Bill, Blank Bank Note, Blank Bank Bill of Exchange, or Blank Bank Post Bill, in a Word or Words in Roman Letters, to appear visible in the Substance of the Paper whereon the same shall be written or printed; every such Offender shall be guilty of Felony, and, being convicted thereof, shall be transported beyond the Seas for the Term of Fourteen Years.

s. 14. “Provided always, and be it enacted. That nothing herein contained shall prevent any Person from issuing any Bill of Exchange or Promissory Note having the Amount thereof expressed in Guineas, or in a numerical Figure or Figures denoting the Amount thereof in Pounds Sterling, appearing visible in the Substance of the Paper upon which the same shall be written or printed, nor shall prevent any Person from making, using, or selling any Paper having waving or curved Lines, or any other Devices in the Nature of Watermarks, visible in the Substance of the Paper, not being Bar Lines, or Laying Wire Lines, provided the same are not so contrived as to form the Ground Work or Texture of the Paper, or to resemble the waving or curved Laying Wire Lines, or Bar Lines, or the Watermarks of the Paper used, by the Governor and Company of the Bank of England.

s. 15. “And be it enacted. That if any Person shall engrave, or in anywise make upon any Plate whatever, or upon any Wood, Stone, or other Material, any Promissory Note or Bill of Exchange, or Blank Promissory Note, or Blank Bill of Exchange, or Part of a Promissory Note or Bill of Exchange, purporting to be a Bank Note, Bank Bill of Exchange, or Bank Post Bill, or Blank Bank Note, Blank Bank Bill of Exchange, or Blank Bank Post Bill, or Part of a Bank Note, Bank Bill of Exchange, or Bank Post Bill, without the Authority of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, to be proved by the Party accused.

Or if any Person shall use such Plate, Wood, Stone, or other Material, or any other Instrument or Device, for the making or printing any Bank Note, Bank Bill of Exchange, or Bank Post Bill, or Blank Bank Note, Blank Bank Bill of Exchange, or Blank Bank Post Bill, or Part of a Bank Note, Bank Bill of Exchange, or Bank Post Bill, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid; or if any Person shall, without lawful Excuse, the Proof whereof shall lie on the Party accused, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession any such Plate, Wood, Stone, or other Material, or any such Instrument or Device; or if any Person shall, without such Authority to be proved as aforesaid, knowingly offer, utter, dispose of, or put off any Paper upon which any Blank Bank Note, Blank Bank Bill of Exchange, or Blank Bank Post Bill, or Part of a Bank Note, Bank Bill of Exchange, or Bank Post Bill, shall be made or printed.

Or if any Person shall, without lawful Excuse, to be proved as aforesaid, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession any such Paper; every such Offender shall be guilty of Felony, and, being convicted thereof, shall be transported beyond the Seas for the Term of Fourteen Years.

s. 16. “And be it enacted. That if any Person shall engrave or in anywise make upon any Plate whatever, or upon any Wood, Stone, or other Material, any Word, Number, Figure, Character, or Ornament, the Impression taken from which shall resemble, or apparently be intended to resemble, any Part of a Bank Note, Bank Bill of Exchange, or Bank Post Bill, without the Authority of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England to be proved by the Party accused.

Or if any Person shall use any such Plate, Wood, Stone, or other Material, or any other Instrument or Device, for the making upon any Paper or other Material the Impression of any Word, Number, Figure, Character, or Ornament which shall resemble, or apparently be intended to resemble, any Part of a Bank Note, Bank Bill of Exchange, or Bank Post Bill, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid; or if any Person shall without lawful Excuse, the Proof whereof shall lie on the Party accused, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession any such Plate, Wood, Stone, or other Material, or any such Instrument or Device; or if any Person shall, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid, knowingly offer, utter, dispose of, or put off any Paper or other Material upon which there shall be an Impression of any such Matter as aforesaid; or if any Person shall, without lawful Excuse, to be proved as aforesaid, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession any Paper or other Material upon which there shall be an Impression of any such Matter as aforesaid.

Every such Offender shall be guilty of Felony, and, being convicted thereof, shall be transported beyond the Seas for the Term of Fourteen Years.

s. 17. “And be it enacted. That if any Person shall make or use any Frame, Mould or Instrument for the Manufacture of Paper, with the Name or Firm of any Person or Persons, Body Corporate, or Company carrying on the Business of Bankers (other than and except the Bank of England) appearing visible in the Substance of the Paper, without the Authority of such Person or Persons, Body Corporate or Company, the Proof of which Authority shall lie on the Party accused; or if any Person shall, without lawful Excuse, the Proof whereof shall lie on the Party accused, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession any such Frame, Mould, or Instrument.

Or if any Person shall, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid, manufacture, use, sell, expose to Sale, utter, or dispose of, or shall, without lawful Excuse, to be proved as aforesaid, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession any Paper in the Substance of which the Name or Firm of- any such Person or Persons, Body Corporate, or Company carrying on the Business of Bankers shall appear visible; or if any Person shall, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid, cause the Name or Firm of any such Person or Persons, Body Corporate, or Company carrying on the Business of Bankers to appear visible in the Substance of the Paper upon which the same shall be written or printed.

Every such Offender shall be guilty of Felony, and, being convicted thereof, shall be liable, at the Discretion of the Court, to be transported beyond the Seas for any Term not exceeding Fourteen Years nor less than Seven Years, or to be imprisoned for any Term not exceeding Three Years nor less than One Year.

s. 18. “And be it enacted. That if any Person shall engrave or in anywise make upon any Plate whatever, or upon any Wood, Stone, or other Material, any Bill of Exchange or Promissory Note for the Payment of Money, or any Part of any Bill of Exchange or Promissory Note for the Payment of Money, purporting to be the Bill or Note, or Part of the Bill or Note, of any Person or Persons, Body Corporate, or Company carrying on the Business of Bankers (other than and except the Bank of England), without the Authority of such Person or Persons, Body Corporate, or Company, the Proof of which Authority shall lie on the Party accused.

Or if any Person shall engrave or make upon any Plate whatever, or upon any Wood, Stone, or other Material, any Word or Words, resembling, or apparently intended to resemble, any Subscription subjoined to any Bill of Exchange or Promissory Note for the Payment of Money issued by any such Person or Persons, Body Corporate, or Company carrying on the Business of Bankers, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid; or if any Person shall, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid, use, or shall, without lawful Excuse, to be proved by the Party accused, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession, any Plate, Wood, Stone, or other Material upon which any such Bill or Note, or Part thereof, or any Word or Words resembling or apparently intended to resemble such Subscription shall be engraved or made.

Or if any Person shall, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid, knowingly offer, utter, dispose of, or put off; or shall, without lawful Excuse, to be proved as aforesaid, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession, any Paper upon which any Part of such Bill or Note, or any Word or Words resembling or apparently intended to resemble any such Subscription, shall be made or printed.

Every such Offender shall be guilty of Felony, and being convicted thereof, shall be liable, at the Discretion of the Court, to be transported, beyond the Seas for any Terra not exceeding Fourteen Years nor less than Seven Years, or to be imprisoned for any Term not exceeding Three Years nor less than One Year.

s. 19. “And be it enacted. That if any Person shall engrave or in anywise make upon any Plate whatever, or upon any Wood, Stone, or other Material, any Bill of Exchange, Promissory Note, Undertaking, or Order for Payment of Money, or any Part of any Bill of Exchange, Promissory Note, Undertaking, or Order for Payment of Money, in. whatever Language or Languages the same may be expressed, and whether the same shall or shall not be or be intended to be under Seal, purporting to be the Bill, Note, Undertaking, or Order, or Part of the Bill, Note, Undertaking, or Order, of any Foreign Prince or State, or of any Minister or Officer in the Service of any Foreign Prince or State, or of any Body Corporate, or Body of the like Nature, constituted or recognized by any Foreign Prince or State, or of any Person or Company of Persons resident in any. Country, not under the Dominion of His Majesty, without the Authority of such Foreign Prince or State, Minister or Officer, Body Corporate, or Body of the like Nature, Person or Company of Persons, the Proof of which Authority shall lie on the Party accused.

Or if any Person shall, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid, use, or shall without lawful Excuse, to be proved by the Party accused, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession, any Plate, Stone, Wood, or other Material upon which any such Foreign Bill, Note, Undertaking, or Order, or any Part thereof, shall be engraved or made; or if any Person shall, without such Authority, to be proved as aforesaid, knowingly utter, dispose of, or put off, or shall, without lawful Excuse, to be proved as aforesaid, knowingly have in his Custody or Possession any Paper upon which any Part of such Foreign Bill, Note, Undertaking, or Order shall be made or printed.

Every such Offender shall be guilty of Felony, and, being convicted thereof, shall be liable, at the Discretion of the Court, to be transported beyond the Seas for any Term not exceeding Fourteen Years, nor less than Seven Years, or to be imprisoned for any Term not exceeding Three Years nor less than One Year.”