18th Century, Lancashire, Halsall, Col. Mordaunt, Penny; Lancaster, T. Worswick & Sons, Halfpenny, 1791, D. Eccleston, Halfpenny, 1794; Liverpool, T. Clarke, Halfpenny, 1792, and a mule Halfpenny by Lutwyche, 1795; Manchester, J. Fielding, Halfpence (3), 1792, 1793 (2), J. Rayner & Co, Halfpenny, 1793; Rochdale, J. Kershaw, Halfpence (2), 1791, 1792 (DH 1, 19, 57, 64, 99, 118, 127, 129, 135f, 138, 140, 145). [12]. DH 19, 57, 99 and 145 about extremely fine or better, DH 1 and 138 fine, others very fine (£45-60)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The R C Bell Collection of British Trade Tokens.

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DH 57 = Bell, CC p.82; DH 64 = Bell, CC p.85; DH 118 = Bell, ST p.34; DH 129 = Bell, CC p.87; DH 135f = Bell, CC p.88; DH 138 = Bell, ST p.38; DH 140 = Bell, CC p.89; DH 145 = Bell, CC p.90.

A manuscript note in Mr Bell’s own copy of Commercial Coins reads: “Mr Clifford Stockton, a member of the Rochdale Historical Society, reported finding an unfinished manuscript history written about 1900 by Mr William Robertson, a local historian, called Rochdale and the History of its Progress, Part 1. In it Mr Robertson wrote ‘John Kershaw was a flannel manufacturer, the landlord of a large house called Amen Corner in 1785, and had his warehouse in an adjoining old building. In this warehouse he kept his wool and flannel pieces and dealt out wool to his workpeople, who converted it into flannel at their own homes.’