In these days of splendid meritocracy when even those from the very humblest of beginnings like Eton, Harrow or even Stowe can aspire to senior City positions, we must all be deeply glad that private banking has become so liberal and classless.

Indeed, a number of senior people in our ranks nowadays hail from inner London and so technically, if they were born within hearing of Bow Bells, can call themselves Cockneys.

Others come from the estuarine margins of Essex, as second and third generation Londoners. 

All may be considered Cockney – or, cor blimey, descendants of those cheeky citizens of our great...