We give a Bibliographical List, as perfect as is possible to date, of the “Halfpenny Series” of little History and Story Books issued at Rusher’s Banbury Press, some even with the same titles as the “Penny Series,” yet totally different in arrangement and woodcuts, used, as comparison in the Bodleian Library will readily show: Mother Hubbard and her Dog; Nursery Rymmes from the Royal Collections; Poetic Trifles for young Gentlemen and Ladies; The Cries of Banbury, London, and Celebrated Stories; Children in the Wood, Historical Ballad (Norfolk?); Children in the Wood, Restored by Honestus; Hermit of the Forest (Cumberland); Jack the Giant Killer, a Hero, celebrated by Ancient Historians (Cornwall); Robinson Crusoe; Nursery Poems from the Ancient and Modern Poets; Jack and Gill and Old Dame Gill; Read who will, They’ll laugh their fill; Dick Whittington and his Cat; The History of Tom Thumb (Middlesex); Death and Burial of Cock Robin; Renowned History of Dame Trot and her Cat; London Jingles and Country Tales for Young People; Tom, Tom, the Piper’ Son; Cinderella and her Glass Slipper; Jack Spratt and his Wife Joan, etc. etc.

Bewick School, used in Rusher’s Banbury Toy Books.

Used by Rusher in his Banbury Horn Books, Battledores, GallopingGuide to A, B, C, Primers, Reading Made Easy, Spelling Books, etc.

From Evans’s, Long Lane, West Smithfield, used afterwards atBanbury.

Rusher’s Banbury Battledore and Reading Made Easy blocks, show the next improvement on the old Horn Books. Then Rusher published a Galloping Guide to the A B C., for which see next page.

Whole pages:

[page 30 (A-H)]
[page 31 (J-W)]
[page 32 top (XYZ)]

A
B
C 		a
b
c
D A was an Acorn, that grew on the oak; B is a Boy, who delights in his book. C is a Canister, holds mamma’s teas; D is a Drum, you may sound if you please. d
E e
F E is an Eagle, that soars very high; F is a Fox, that is crafty and sly. f
G g
H G is a Griffin, of him pray take heed; H is a Hare, that can run with great speed. h
I J
K 		i j
k
L
M 		J is a Judge, that the law oft obeys; K is a Key, that no secret betrays. L is a Lamb, often freaks o’er the lea; M is a Mermaid, that sings in the sea. l
m
N
O 		n
o
P
Q 		N is a Nightingale, dwells in the wood; O is an Ox, whose beef roasted is good. P is a Peach, that did grow very high; Q is a Quince, makes a savoury pie. p
q
R
S 		r
s
T R is a Raven, rapacity charms; S shining Sun, is the Banbury Arms. t
U
V 		u
v
W T is a Trumpet, your merit to raise; V is a Vulture, on other birds preys. W a Wren, that was perch’d on a spray; w
X
Y 		x
y
Z X was King Xerxes, well known in his day. Y is a Yew Tree, both slender and tall; Z Zacaariah, the last of them all. z