h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm staying out of Ask before I try to stab someone in the eye via my keyboard.

Not sure how you'Re being about the sexism but as you pointed out the criteria were: They must have made a lasting contribution to society, have a widely recognised name, not be controversial, and there must be good artwork on which a design can be based.

so how the frack Sir John Houblon managed to get on a note is beyond me...

"knowledge of Sir John Houblon - the former Bank of England governor currently on the reverse of £50 notes - was arguably mainly restricted to hardcore pub quizzers and bank employees."

It sticks in my craw to say so but Thatcher probably fills the criteria - Queen Liz the first and Queen Vic are pretty well known. Agatha Christie? The boys club are making themselves look like fools.

again *blows raspberry*

Aye, it's a pity about Ask. I remember when I used to be the most annoying person there

I think it's one of those things where just about any one person or sequence of people is going to annoy or irritate others so maybe the Americans have got it right by putting former Presidents on theirs. Former Kings/Queens and PMs would be a good wee history lesson too if they were changed frequently.

I think Thatcher would mean a *lot* of defaced notes though

Agatha Christie was a woman? I always thought it was George Elliot's nom de plume