First look at how Jane Austen will appear on the new tenner after outcry over men dominating every bank note

Jane Austen is to become the face of the new £10 note after a public outcry that every banknote featured a man.
New Bank of England governor Mark Carney today unveiled the new design as a tribute to ‘one of the greatest writers in English literature’ which will appear from 2017.
The move comes after the Bank faced criticism that a plan for Winston Churchill to feature on the new fiver meant there would not be a woman on any English note.

Tenner: The Bank of England today released this image of the new £10 note featuring Jane Austen, which should come into circulation from 2017

Honour: Bank of England of Mark Carney unveiled the new £10 note after bowing to critics who complained that it was ignoring women as candidates to be featured on the bank notes

After a public clamour to ensure a female face continued to appear on banknotes, former Bank of England governor Lord King hinted that Miss Austen was ‘waiting in the wings’ the next time a slot became available.

His successor Mr Carney said the inclusion of the Pride and Prejudice author would complete a line-up of ‘diverse’ individuals honoured on notes.

He said: ‘Jane Austen certainly merits a place in the select group of historical figures to appear on our banknotes.

‘Her novels have an enduring and universal appeal and she is recognised as one of the greatest writers in English literature.

‘As Austen joins Adam Smith, Boulton and Watt, and in future, Churchill, our notes will celebrate a diverse range of individuals who have contributed in a wide range of fields.’

All change: The Pride and Prejudice author will replace Charles Darwin on the reverse of the £10 note

Austen will be only the third woman to appear on banknotes, following prison reformer Elizabeth Fry who is being replaced by Winston Churchill on £5 notes and pioneering nurse Florence Nightingale, who was previously on £10 notes.

The Austen £10 note will be issued within a year of the Churchill £5 note, which is exp[ected to be available from 2016, the Bank of England said.

It will include the quite from Pride and Prejudice: ‘I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!’

Caroline Criado-Perez, who launched an online campaign to keep women on banknotes, said:

'This is a brilliant day for women and a fantastic one for people power.

'To hear Jane Austen confirmed is fantastic, but to hear the process will be comprehensively reviewed is even better.'

The design, released publicly for the first time today, also includes a portrait of Jane Austen. Which was commissioned by her nephew James Edward Austen Leigh and adapted from an original sketch of by her sister, Cassandra Austen.

The central design is based on the 12-sided writing table and writing quills, used by Austen at Chawton Cottage.

There is also an illustration of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist in Pride and Prejudice, undertaking ‘the examination of all the letters which Jane had written to her’ – from a drawing by Isabel Bishop (1902-1988).

The building feature on the notes is Godmersham Park, the home of Edward Austen Knight, Jane Austen's brother.

She regularly visited the house which is thought to be the inspiration for a number of her novels.

The Bank of England confirmed that the inclusion of Austen on the notes came after ‘concerns that have been raised recently about the diversity of characters on the notes’.

A spokesman added: ‘We would like to provide reassurance that, as part of the rolling programme of note launches, it was never the Bank’s intention that none of the four characters on our notes would be a woman.’

Male dominated: The decision to replace prison reformer Elizabeth Fry with Winston Churchill on the £5 note meant there would not have been a women on banknotes

As a result of the outcry, the Bank has ordered a review of the way it selects candidates to appear on notes.

Chris Salmon, the Bank’s executive director for banking services and chief cashier, is to ‘refine the criteria for character selection, and establish a process to ensure that potential candidates are consistently judged against those criteria’.

Mr Carney said: ‘We believe that our notes should celebrate the full diversity of great British historical figures and their contributions in a wide range of fields.

‘The Bank is committed to that objective, and we want people to have confidence in our commitment to diversity. That is why I am today announcing a review of the selection process for future banknote characters.’