Royal Bank of Scotland One Pound Note 1987 Lord Ilay

The Royal Bank of Scotland One Pound Note 1987 Lord Ilay

The Royal Bank of Scotland One Pound Note 1987 Edinburgh Castle and the National Gallery of Scotland

The Royal Bank of Scotland One Pound Note 1987 Lord Ilay

Scottish banknotes, Scottish paper money, Scottish bank notes, Royal Bank of Scotland banknotes, Royal Bank of Scotland paper money, Royal Bank of Scotland bank notes.

Obverse: Portrait of Lord Ilay (1682–1761), the first governor of the bank. The illustration is based on a portrait of Lord Ilay painted in 1744 by the Edinburgh artist Allan Ramsay. The front of the notes also include an engraving of the facade of Sir Laurence Dundas's mansion in St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh, which was built by Sir William Chambers in 1774 and later became the bank's headquarters, the bank's coat of arms and the 1969 arrows logo and branding. The inscription: "The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Promise to pay the Bearer on Demand ONE POUND STERLING At their head office here in Edinburgh by order of the Board".
Signature: R. M. Maiden (Managing Director).

Reverse: On the reverse of the one pound note is an image of Edinburgh Castle and the National Gallery of Scotland.

The background graphic on both sides of the notes is a radial star design which is based on the ornate ceiling of the banking hall in the old headquarters building, designed by John Dick Peddie in 1857.

Watermark: Portrait of Lord Ilay.
Dimensions: 135 x 67 mm.
The dominant colour: Green on a multicoloured underprint.
Printer: Thomas De La Rue & Company Limited, London, England.


In September 1987, the Royal Bank issued its Ilay series of banknotes, named after Lord Ilay. The notes are currently issued in £1, £20, £50 and £100 denominations.
The Ilay series is named after the first governor of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Archibald Campbell, Earl of Ilay (1682-1761), whose portrait appears on the front face of each note. Ilay's portrait also features as the watermark.
Ilay was the right-hand man in Scotland for Britain’s first Prime Minister, Robert Walpole, and played an important part in establishing Scottish banking. He was closely involved in the foundation of the Royal Bank in 1727 and also set up the British Linen Bank in 1746. He was noted for his support of Scottish universities. On the reverse, each denomination in the Ilay series features a different Scottish castle.