'In 1815 Revd Henry Small was appointed rector of the Abbey parish in St Albans. Late in 1834 he fled to France leaving behind substantial debts having embezzled huge sums of money from the local Savings Bank. This talk explores a surprising story that attracted the attention of the then Prime Minister and involved an inspiring resolution. It also considers Small's actions as part of a series of local banking scandals that affected everyone in St Albans – rich and poor – in the 1820-50 period.'