From Scandal to New Structures of Trust: Development of the British Savings Banks, 1850 to 1870

During the 1850s, British savings banks experienced a succession of embezzlement scandals that affected
over twenty-two establishments across the United Kingdom. This dissertation will study the institutional
impact of these scandals, examining how British savings banks adapted between 1850-70 following these
criminal discoveries. Specifically, it will consider how the Government and local managers sought to
restore depositor trust in savings banks after a period of highly publicised financial instability. This
dissertation will draw on parliamentary debates, select committee proceedings, contemporary
commentary, and archival records for individual savings banks.