“ The practice of issuing wooden tallies was ordered to be discontinued by an act of 1782; this act came into force on the death of the last of the chamberlains in 1826. The returned tallies were stored in the room which had formerly been the Star-chamber. This room was completely filled by them, so that in 1834, when it was desired to use the room, the tallies were ordered to be destroyed. ”

“ They were used as fuel for the stoves which warmed the houses of parliament. On the 16th of October 1834 the houses of parliament were burnt down by the overheating of the stoves through using too many of the tallies.
Fig. 2.—Diagrammatic view, showing notches with facsimile of writing, of an Exchequer tally, acknowledging the receipt of £236, 4s. 31⁄2d. on the 25th of October 1739, from Edward Ironside, Esq., as a loan to the king on £3 per cent. annuities payable out of the Sinking Fund, on account of £500,000 granted by Act 11 Geo. ”