Show NAMUR AND BANK OF ENGLAND first deputy governor of great british financial institution killed in the trenches by a strange coincidence namur the belgian city which is fighting so prominently in the great european war is connected with a stirring story concerning the batik bank of england says london tit bits As everyone knows william zatter atterson a scottish farmer was the founder of the great institution in thread needle street his plan for a national bank was submitted to the government in 1691 but it was not till three years later that the chancellor of the exchequer mr montague and michael godfrey one of the richest merchants in london put the scheme into operation at this time england was at war with france and godfrey who was the banks first deputy governor left his peaceful occupation to visit namur then being vigorously besieged by the english forces under william godfrey had undertaken this perilous journey in order to consult tho the king respecting the supply of money to the army necessary to e carry arry on the war thinking that the safest place would naturally be so somewhere near his majesty michael ventured into the trenches and soon caught the eye of the kin king mr godfrey said william gravely 1 I think you ought not to run this ilsk you are a civilian and can be ba of no use hero here true courteously replied mr IT godfrey but I 1 am no more exposed than your majesty yet returned the 1 king I ana am in my duty and therefore have a more reasonable claim to preservation at this moment a cannon ball fired from the ramparts struck michael e hael godfrey and killed hilled him antan instantly y this sad event breaded greatly ly affects affected e d william wilham and he commanded comman the body to be taken to england nd where it was laid to rest in st Swi thins church near tile the bank dan k of england in the church records God godfreys godfreyh freys memory Is honored thus ile he died a bachelor much lamented by all his friends r relations and acquaintances quain for his h i s integrity his knowledge and tile the manners sweetness of 0 his |