Home < Main Site Map > Banknotes of the Irish Private Banks >
Ffrench's Bank Tuam and Dublin - Tuam Notes - Dublin Notes

Banknotes of the Irish Private Banks
Ffrench's Bank. Tuam, Co. Galway and Dublin

1803-1814 failed

Tuam, Co Galway, Ireland map Tuam Bank 30 Shillings 1813

Ffrench's Bank - 4 Series, 5 Partnerships

This page is under active revision: Rewriting and expansion. Addition of detailed references, with urls where available.

Hon. Sir Thomas Ffrench, Tuam Bank with a Dublin branch

Ffrench's bank is one of the most well-known of the Irish private banks. Sir Thomas Ffrench founded Tuam Bank in 1803, and opened a branch in Galway shortly thereafter. Ffrench's then opened a branch in Dublin in 1806. More detailed information on the background of Ffrench's bank, its founders and its partners can be found in Irish Numismatics, No 34, July-August 1973.

The bank prospered in the early years and expanded with the addition of new partners. Dutton (1824) notes that the the local note issues of Ffrench's Bank and Joyce's Galway Bank enjoyed a high degree of confidence, and were preferred to those of the Bank of Ireland.

However, the bank collapsed on June 27th 1814 after a relatively short time in business.

Ffrench's Bank had two note issuing competitors in nearby Galway city, Joyce's Bank, and Lynch's Bank. The presence of these two banks may have influenced Ffrench's to not issue notes in Galway.

Ffrench's Bank Note issues, Tuam and Dublin

Both the Tuam and Dublin branches issued banknotes and post bills. Few private banks are known to have issued notes from more than one branch, Hannington's bank in Dungannon is another example. The design of Ffrench's notes and bills varied slightly between the two branches, and the bank's issues can be arranged into four major groups. The Galway branch has been referred to as a 'discounting house' and likely did not issue notes.

In its early days, Ffrench's Bank issued silver notes, denominated in shillings and for a value of less than £1. These notes were issued by many banks of the era and were in respomse to a lack of coinage in circulation. The best known issuers of silver notes were the two Silver Banks which focused exclusively on these notes.

Silver notes were prohibited and required to be withdrawn by legislation after August 1804. A denomination of 3 Shillings 9 and a half pence (3s.9¹⁄₂d, equal to one sixth of a Guinea) has been recorded for Ffrench's Bank.

An unissued Ffrench's Banknote for £100 is in the National Museum in dublin. This is the only known private bank note for £100, and a very high denomination for the era.

Linked Picture Pages of Ffrench's Banknotes and Post Bills

Banknotes issued by Ffrench's Bank Tuam
Post bills issued by Ffrench's Bank Tuam
Banknotes issued by Ffrench's Bank Dublin
Post bills issued by Ffrench's Bank Dublin

Four Series of notes known for Ffrench's Bank

There are four Series of banknotes and post bills for Ffrench's Bank by design, and five Types by partnership.

Series 1. ca1803-1804. Tuam only. One denomination recorded: 3s.9¹⁄₂d.
Series 2. ca1806-1811. Tuam and Dublin. Denominations recorded: £1, £10, £100 (An example of an unissued note of this denomination is in the National Museum, Dublin), 1.5G, 3G.
Series 3. 1811-1814. Tuam and Dublin. Vignette removed from design. £1, 30 Shillings, £3, £4, £5, £10 1G, 1.5G, 3G, 4G.
Series 4. 1814. Vignette reintroduced. Dublin address changed to 13 upper Ormond Quay. £1, 25 Shillings, 30 Shillings, £3, £4, 3G, 4G.

Five Types by partnership.
Type A. ca1803-1804. Hon. Sir Thomas Ffrench, Michael Morris, William Kearey.
Type B. ca1806-1808. Hon. Sir Thomas Ffrench, Michael Morris, William Kearey, Charles Ffrench.
Type C. ca1809-1811. Rt. Hon. Lord Ffrench, Henry Edm. Taaffe, Michael Morris, William Kearey, Hon. Charles Ffrench.

Type D. 1811-1814. Hon. Charles Ffrench, Henry E. Taaffe, Michael Morris, William Kearey, Hon. Thomas Ffrench, Hon. Martin Ffrench.
Type E. 1814. Hon. Charles Ffrench, Henry E. Taaffe, Michael Morris, William Kearey, Hon. Thomas Ffrench.

Printers: unknown.

Note issues and known denominations of both branches of Ffrench's Bank

Ffrenchs Bank Tuam Dublin 1804-1814 Note issues

Design variations between Ffrench Tuam notes and Dublin notes

Different designs of the bank's logo were used to distinguish between Tuam notes and post bills, and those issued in the Dublin branch, as illustrated below.

Additionally, there are variations in the main titles between the Tuam and Dublin issues of notes and bills.
Series 2 Banknotes: The title field varies on banknotes and post bills issued in Tuam and Dublin.
Series 3 Banknotes: Tuam issue, the title is TUAM BANK in uppercase serif. Dublin issue, the title is 'Dublin' in script.
Series 4 Banknotes: Tuam issue, the title is Tuam Bank in gothic script. Dublin issue, the title is 'Dublin' in gothic script.

Series 3 Post bills issued in Tuam have the top title of 'Tuam Bank PBill' in upper case.
Post bills issued in Dublin have the top title of 'Bank Post Bill' in upper case.
Series 4 Post bills issued in Dublin have the top title of 'Bank Post Bill' in gothic script.

Variations in the Ffrench's Bank logo used in the Tuam and Dublin branches. Logos used on banknotes and post bills were the same.
Ffrench Tuam notes and Dublin notes

Series 1. Type A, Tuam
Ffrench's Bank. Tuam. Three Shillings, nine and a half pence

Series 2. Type C, Tuam. Type B, Dublin
Ffrench's Bank. Tuam One Pound Ffrench's Bank. Tuam 3 Guineas

Series 3. Type D, Tuam. Type D, Dublin
Ffrench's Bank. Dublin Three Pounds Ffrench's Tuam Bank. Post bill 3 Pounds 1811

Series 4, Type D. Tuam, Dublin
Ffrench's Bank Dublin. 30 Shillings 1814 Ffrench's Bank. Tuam Three Pounds 1st June 1814

Series 4, Type E. Dublin
Ffrench's Bank. 30 Shilling note 1814 Ffrench's Bank. Three Guineas 1814