Staff Working Paper No. 794 The Bank of England and central bank credit rationing during the crisis of 1847: frosted glass or raised eyebrows? Mike Anson, David Bholat, Miao Kang, Kilian Rieder and Ryland Thomas April 2019 Staff Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate. Any views expressed are solely those of the author(s) and so cannot be taken to represent those of the Bank of England or to state Bank of England policy. This paper should therefore not be reported as representing the views of the Bank of England or members of the Monetary Policy Committee, Financial Policy Committee or Prudential Regulation Committee.