Abraham Newland was chief cashier to the Bank of England for thirty years 'and in another capacity for thirty years before that'. (D.Stroud, Sir John Soane architect, 1984, p.271).

Evidently the monument was commisioned by Mrs Cornthwaite, Abraham Newland's former housekeeper. 'The monument is signed by Soane on its side and made from grey marble with a fllush band border of pink marble...' P.Dean, Sir John Soane and London, 2006, p.185. As architect to the Bank of Englland Soane would have known Newland well.

Jill Lever, 2017