The Bank of England was established in 1694 to raise a loan of £1,200,000 for the Government to finance the wars in France. Subscribers to Bank Stock were incorporated as ‘The Governor and Company of the Bank of England’. The first subscription produced 1,520 separate names, contributing from as little as £25 to £10,000 (the amount subscribed by King William and Queen Mary).
Bank Stock continued to be held in private ownership until the nationalisation of the Bank of England in 1946.
The typed index to the list of original subscribers is arranged by subscriber's surname and includes the individual's address, social status/occupation, and name of agent (if used).
Index to Original Subscribers to Bank Stock 1694 (11MB)This page was last updated 31 January 2023