REVIEW: A RARITY STRUCK IN THE NAME OF TEMPERANCE

Social history has played its part in the development of tokens, as this Rock Tavern Loughall coffee token illustrates. It was one of the highlights of the 3 March
Irish Coins, Tokens and Historic Medals auction, where it sold for £950 against an estimate of £90-120. In this case the token has its origins in temperance.

 

Of late Georgian construction, the Rock Tavern began life as a spirit grocery and hotel run by John Hyde Cardwell.

The Cardwells left Loughgall possibly as a result of their liquor licence being bought up by a Mrs Cecilia Cope who, like many ladies in Victorian times, was a fervent advocate of temperance.

She bought up the licences of all the publicans in the village and instead offered an alternative, the Rock Coffee Tavern, a report of the opening of which appeared in the Belfast News Letter of July 1879.

It described the facility as “a most comfortable and suitable building... there is a good reading room which is amply supplied with daily, weekly, and temperance newspapers, periodicals, etc. The coffee room is large and airy and fitted with marble tables and comfortably seated stalls. A commodious kitchen, with glass doors, opens into the coffee room...refreshments all of which are sold at prices scarcely sufficient to cover their cost.”

An advertisement for a manager in the same publication in 1892 is of interest as it reflects the recruitment policy of the time: “Man and wife wanted to manage a Coffee Tavern in a village (without children preferred) total abstainers and Protestants.”

At 29mm and with the obverse in very fine condition, the copper token promises a pennyworth of refreshment at the coffee tavern. It is an extremely rare survivor and was consigned as part of the collection of the late Barry Woodside.

Noonans next Tokens auction is on 29 September and features British Tokens, Tickets and Passes.