BBC NEWSAmericasAfricaEuropeMiddle EastSouth AsiaAsia Pacific
BBCiNEWS  SPORT  WEATHER  WORLD SERVICE  A-Z INDEX    

BBC News World Edition
 You are in: UK 
News Front Page
Africa
Americas
Asia-Pacific
Europe
Middle East
South Asia
UK
England
N Ireland
Scotland
Wales
Politics
Education
Business
Entertainment
Science/Nature
Technology
Health
-------------
Talking Point
-------------
Country Profiles
In Depth
-------------
Programmes
-------------
BBC Sport
News image
BBC Weather
News image
SERVICES
-------------
News image
EDITIONS
Tuesday, 21 May, 2002, 02:04 GMT 03:04 UK
New �5 note issued
New �5 note
The note has improved security features
Victorian prison reformer Elizabeth Fry appears on the new high security �5 - only the second woman to appear on the back of an English banknote.

The new note comes into circulation on Tuesday.

The new note
Penal reformer Elizabeth Fry features on the �5
It is the same size and colour as the existing note but has extra security features, including a hologram.

The nineteenth century Quaker charity worker, who fought to improve prison conditions for women, replaces inventor George Stephenson.

Nurse Florence Nightingale has already appeared on the �10 note.

Fry's fame

Bank of England's chief cashier Merlyn Lowther said: "This is the most secure five pound note we have ever produced."

The new note shares the security features of the new �10 note and �20 notes issued in the past few years, including a foil hologram.

It features the same portrait of the Queen on the front.

The old and new notes will initially circulate together.

Fry, who lived from 1780 to 1845, made her name fighting for improved living conditions for women in European jails.

She campaigned for penal reform and in the early 19th century became known as the Angel of the Prisons.

The new note come a month after the problem of the dirty and tattered nature of many of the current �5 notes in circulation was highlighted.

 WATCH/LISTEN
 ON THIS STORY
News image The BBC's Jenny Scott
"The most secure fiver ever"
News image Merlyn Lowther, Chief Cashier
"Current notes only last about a year"
See also:

11 Apr 02 | UK
23 Jun 00 | Americas
Internet links:


The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

Links to more UK stories are at the foot of the page.


News image
News imageE-mail this story to a friend

Links to more UK stories

News imageNews imageNews image
News image
© BBCNews image^^ Back to top

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East |
South Asia | UK | Business | Entertainment | Science/Nature |
Technology | Health | Talking Point | Country Profiles | In Depth |
Programmes