Say goodbye to the Bank of England’s first governor as he disappears from the £50 note this April
Sir John Houblon will be disappearing from the £50 note this April.
From then on, you'll only be able to get £50 notes featuring Matthew Boulton and James Watt. The pair were responsible for accelerating the progress of manufacturing steam engines during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Their famous Boulton & Watt engines were responsible for powering the British Industrial Revolution, as their devices were used across mining and textile industries after entering a partnership in 1775.
So say goodbye to the 17th century governor of the Bank of England. Houblon has been on the notes since 1994, when his face appeared to coincide with the Bank's 300th anniversary.
What to do with your Houblon notes
Members of the public who have Houblon £50 notes can continue to use them up to and including 30 April.
After that date, most banks and building societies will continue to accept the Houblon note for deposit to customer accounts.
Barclays, NatWest, RBS, Ultster Bank and the Post Office have agreed to exchange the notes, up to a value of £200, until 30 October.