Jane Austen Could Be New Face Of £10 Banknote

Jane Austen Could Be New Face Of £10 Banknote

The Bank of England has shown sense and some sensibility after revealing Jane Austen could become the new face of the £10 note.

Sir Mervyn King, the outgoing governor of the Bank, told MPs at the Treasury committee on Tuesday morning that the world famous 19th Century author was "waiting in the wings".

The move may be designed to quell displeasure that once Winston Churchill replaces Elizabeth Fry on the new £5 note in 2015 there will be no women featured on notes (apart from the Queen).

However Sir Mervyn cautioned the final decision would be up to his replacement, Mark Carney.

Fry's replacement inspired inspired a petition to Keep A Woman On British Bank Notes.

Caroline Criado-Perez, the woman behind the petition and co-founder of online database for female experts The Women's Room UK, said that historically the Bank of England has failed to recognise successful British women.

"Since 1978 we've had 15 people whose contribution to our history has been recognised by appearing on a banknote; only two of them have been women," she explained. "This sends out a damaging -- not to mention untrue -- message about women's achievements."

At the time of the outcry HuffPost UK mocked up some alternative all-female fivers - including one with Austen.

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