LONDON—“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like having her face on a banknote!” said exuberant Jane Austen supporter, Anna Trontin. “I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve,” she conceded.
Trontin claims to have led the campaign that championed the author of Pride and Prejudice as the next face to appear on British currency. However, there were many obstacles to overcome before success was achieved.
“Oh my,” said Trontin, “there were so many times I thought we would not reach our goal. First, the Bank of England misunderstood my request and thought I wanted a different writer featured! I was quite upset and angry because I had concluded this was an intentional rebuff.” Trontin fanned herself at the memory.
After several months spent planning an elaborate scheme to expose the bank’s shortcomings, and simultaneously refusing to acknowledge British pounds as legal tender, Trontin realized it had all been an innocent mistake. “When I read over my correspondence with the bank, I saw that I had been misleading in my intentions and immediately set about correcting the error.” Trontin said she is thrilled that her perseverance paid off and that her favorite scribe will be honoured.
Asked for comment, Bank of England representative Corbin Wright seemed confused. “The decision to put Jane Austen on the 10-pound note came from a lengthy process that considered many worthy candidates,” said Wright. “Is Ms. Trontin that nutter who used to stand in front of our offices in a petticoat with a Jane Austen placard? She had no influence on the outcome.”