The announcement has been made that, subject to Treasury sanction, arrangements have been completed by Messrs, Fox, Fowler Ca. for the amalgamation of their business, as from January 1 last, with that of Lloyds Bank, Ld. The fusion is of historic interest, being notable by reason of the fact that it marks the passing away as a separate institution of the last English bank having the tight to issue its own notes. The right in these days is not of much practical importance, and the limit of issue is only just over £6,500. But it is not so many years ago since local farmers would take these notes in preference to those of che Bank of England. The sphere of influence of Messrs. Fox, Fowler Ca. is Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, and the firm has some 55 branches and agencies. The business is an old established one, dating back to 1787, when it was founded by Thomas Fox, who was associated with the development of the woollen industry at Wellington, in Somerset.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.