from: Sarah John
Chief Cashier, Notes Directorate
sarah.john@bankofenqland.co.uk

20 December 2018

Dear members of the Nightingale Society,

Thank you for your letter dated 9 December addressed to the Governor. As Chief Cashier with responsibility for banknotes, and a member of the Banknote Character Advisory Committee, he has asked me respond on his behalf.

Thank you for taking the time to write to us with your views about Mary Seacole. As you will have seen in the press, the selection of the character for the next £50 note has attracted a lot of attention. We are delighted by the way the nomination process has captured the imagination of the public, and provoked some very interesting debates on the relative merits of potential candidates to appear on the banknote.

This is, however, just the start of the process. As the Banknote Character Advisory Committee works through the shortlisting process, we will be undertaking detailed historical research on each of the leading potential characters. I can assure you that the final decision, to be taken by the Governor, will be made in light of all the relevant available facts about the life and achievements of the shortlisted characters.

Yours sincerely,
Sarah John
Chief Cashier