Abraham Newland

English

Etymology

From Abraham Newland (1730–1807), chief cashier at the Bank of England, whose signature appeared on every banknote issued by the Bank from 1782 to 1807.

Noun

Abraham Newland (plural Abraham Newlands)

1. (archaic, British slang) A British banknote. [18th c.]
   • 1800, Whims of the Day, 2nd verse:

     For fashion or arts, should you seek foreign parts, / It matters not wherever you land, / Jew, Christian, or Greek, the same language they speak, / That's the language of Abraham Newland: / Oh, Abraham Newland! / Wonderful Abraham Newland! / Tho' with compliments cramm'd, you may die and be d—d, / If you hav'n't an Abraham Newland.

References

• John S[tephen] Farmer, compiler (1890) “Abraham Newland”, in Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present. […], volume I, [London: […] Thomas Poulter and Sons] […], →OCLC, page 10.