The Lion and the Horse.

The lion and the unicorn were fighting for the crown
The lion beat the unicorn all around the town.
Some gave them white bread, and some gave them brown;
Some gave them plum cake and drummed them out of town.

The Lion (of England) and the Unicorn (of Scotland) were heraldic beasts that were always in enmity - but came together to be the supporters of the Royal Coat of Arms. But wait - I see no horn! The supporters here are a lion and a silver horse! Because this is the Coat of Arms of the British Linen Bank.

The British Linen Bank (initially called the British Linen Company) was established by a Royal Charter from George II in 1746. The new company was empowered to "carry on the Linen Manufactory in all its branches" and was granted limited liability. The word 'British' in its title was a reflection of the suspicion aroused by all things Scottish after the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.

Although the initial aim of the company was to promote the linen industry, from the late 1760s, it moved towards banking and began issuing notes. In 1765 the British Linen Company was accepted by the Royal Bank of Scotland as a bank. Recognition by Bank of Scotland came in 1771.

Its great strength was its spread of agents throughout the country, developed as a result of the company's earlier involvement in the linen trade. By 1780 there were nine agencies (branches) in total. It eventually disappeared after an earlier absorption by the Bank of Scotland.

This comes from an old book - a history of the BLB! My father-in-law worked for the Bank. The gentlemen who ran the institution, and the other Banks of old, must have been whirling in their graves for the last three years!