Notes and Queries for Worcestershire

by John Noake

The parish of Offenham is remarkable for some of the richest land and one of the poorest churches in the county of Worcester.

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S ARREARS.

A paragraph recently appeared in the London publication, known as "Notes and Queries," as follows:

"'Good Queen Bess,' when she visited Worcester, borrowed £200 of the Corporation, which still stands as a 'bad debt' on the town books."

On the occasion of the Royal visit alluded to, a "fare cupp" was bought at London "for the presenting the gyfte to the Queen's Majestie, and xl. pounds in sov'raignes and angells of her own coign and stamp;" a crimson velvet purse, with £20 in it, was also presented to the Queen on her visit to the Cathedral. The total outlay by the city for entertaining her Majesty was £173. 8s. 4d., but the writer is not aware of any record of the Queen's having borrowed £200, or of such an item standing as a "bad debt" on the books, which he has closely examined from a date prior to the Queen's visit.

WORCESTERSHIRE TOKENS—Seventeenth Century.

Traders' tokens were issued from the year 1648, towards the close of the reign of Charles I, until the year 1672, when they were cried down by proclamation of Charles II, and a new copper currency issued, the first we had in England, all previously being Royal tokens. During the Commonwealth they were not very numerous, but after the Restoration, in 1660, to the year 1672, they are exceedingly abundant, and were issued in nearly every town and village in England. They were issued without authority, no doubt, as many of them state, for necessary change. In London alone nearly 4000 were issued, and the remainder of England are estimated at 15,000 more. In the year 1669 (when this kind of coinage was first checked) the citizens of Norwich had a pardon granted them for all transgressions, and in particular for their coinage of halfpence and farthings, by which they had forfeited their charter, all coinage being declared to be the King's prerogative; and in 1670 the Worcester Corporation petitioned his Majesty's pardon for "putting out farthings in this city." The following list of Worcestershire tokens, recently published by Mr. W. Boyne, in "Aris's Birmingham Gazette," I now reprint, with a few additions:

WORCESTER.
				Value.
1.	(Obverse)	A WORCESTER FARTHING	Arms of Worcester; a castle with a bird above it.
	(Reverse)	FOR NECESSARIE CHAING	C. W. (City of Worcester) 1667	1/4d.
2.		RICHARD ALDNEY		1/2d.
3.	O.	EDWARD BARON OF YE CITTY	E.B. conjoined.
	R.	OF WORCESTER HIS HALF PENY	Arms of Worcester; three pears	1/2d.
4.	O.	RICHARD BEDDOES OF YE	Arms of Worcester. (16)59.
	R.	CITTY OF WORCESTER	Mercers' Arms. R. B.	1/4d.
5.	O.	RICHARD BEDOES	Arms of Worcester.
	R.	HIS HALFE PENNY	Mercers' Arms. R. B.	1/2d.
6.		A variety with the date 1664.
7.	O.	JOHN CHERRY HIS HALF	Arms of Worcester.
	R.	PENY IN WORCESTER 1664	I. S. C.	1/2d.
8.	O.	WILL. CHETLE IN BROD STRT. IN	Merchant's mark. W. S. C.
	R.	WORSTER CLO. HIS HALF PENY	Arms of Worcester.	1/2d.
9.	O.	WILLIAM CHETTLE 1666	Merchant's mark. W. C.
	R.	OF WORCESTER, CLOTHIER	Arms of Worcester	1/4d.
10.	O.	HIS HALFE PENNY 1667	WILL. COLBATCH
	R.	THE CITTY OF WORCESTER	Arms of Worcester	1/2d.
11.	O.	WILLIAM COLBATCH OF	W. C. conjoined.
	R.	YE CITTY OF WORCESTER	Arms of Worcester	1/4d.
12.		WILL. FINCH		1/2d.
13.		DITTO		1/4d.
14.		THOS. FOWNE		1/4d.
15.		THOS. HACKETT		1/2d.
16.		JOHN HURDMAN		1/2d.
17.	O.	JOHN HILL DISTILLER	Arms of Worcester.
	R.	CITTY OF WORCESTER (16)64	HIS HALF PENY	1/2d.
18.	O.	THOMAS JONES 1669	A hat and glove; Feltmakers' Arms.
	R.	IN WORCESTER	HIS HALF PENY	1/2d.
19.		JOHN JONES		1/2d.
20.	O.	JOHN LILLIE IN WORCESTER	Weavers' Arms.
	R.	HIS HALFE PENNY 1667	Arms of Worcester	1/2d.
21.	O.	ARTHUR LLOYD IN	Arms of Worcester.
	R.	WORCESTER. 1663	HIS HALFE PENY	1/2d.
22.	O.	WILL MOORE OF WORCESTER	Arms of Worcester.
	R.	HIS HALFE PENNY 1668	Mercers' Arms. W. M.	1/2d.
23.		EDWARD PRITCHETT		1/2d.
24.	O.	FRAN. RICHARDSON OF YE CITTY	Arms of Worcester
	R.	WORCESTER, HIS HALF PENNY	F. A. R.	1/2d.
25.	O.	HIS HALFE PENY 1664	JOHN SEABORN
	R.	THE CITTIE OF WORCESTER	Arms of Worcester	1/2d.
26.		JAMES SMITHIN		1/2d.
27.	O.	HIS HALF PENY 1662	WILL. SWIFT
	R.	THE CITTY OF WORCESTER	Arms of Worcester	1/2d.
28.		A variety is without date, and the centre is brass, the other part copper		1/2d.
29.		Another variety has the date 1663.
30.	O.	WILLIAM SWIFT OF YE	W. S. conjoined.
	R.	CITTY OF WORCESTER	Arms of Worcester	1/4d.
31.		A variety is silvered, and has the initial S. joined to the last limb of W.; in the other it is joined to the first limb		1/4d.
32.	O.	JOHN TUBERVILLE	Arms of Worcester
	R.	WORCESTER HIS HALF PENNY	Mercers' Arms. I. T. 1/2d.
There were 36 of these tokens coined at Worcester, Rd. Bedoes having issued three varieties besides those attached to his name above, and Wm. Colbatch another variety.
BENGEWORTH.
33.	O.	EDWARD PITTWAY AT THE	A lion rampant.
	R.	RED LION IN BENGEWORTE	E.F.P.	1/4d.
BEWDLEY.
34.	O.	THE WARDENS HALFE PENY OF BEWDLEY	In four lines across the field.
	R.	1668. An anchor between a sword and rose	(Octagonal)	1/2d.
35.	O.	SAMUELL CART	A lion passant.
	R.	IN BEAUDLY 1653	S.M.C.	1/4d.
36.	O.	THOMAS DEDICOT, GROCER, HIS HALF PENNY	In five lines across the field.
	R.	IN BEWDLEY (Three cloves.)	SQUARE DEALING (SQUARE)	1/2d.
37.	O.	WALTER PALMER OF	A hat.
	R.	BEWDLEY, CAPPER 1656	W.A.P.	1/4d.
BROADWAY.
38.	O.	MICHAELL RUSSELL	A dog.
	R.	OF BROADWAY 1670	M.A.B.	1/2d.
BROMSGROVE.
39.	O.	HENRY JEFFREYS	Grocers' Arms.
	R.	IN BROMSGROVE	H.I.	1/4d.
40.	O.	SAMUEL ROGERS 1668	S.R.
	R.	IN BROMSGROVE	HIS HALFE PENNY.	1/2d.
CLIFTON-ON-TEME.
41.	O.	JOHN JENCKINS 1666	HIS HALF PENY
	R.	OF CLIFTON UPON TEAM	I.A.I.	1/2d.
DROITWICH.
42.	O.	STEPHEN ALLEN	HIS HALFE PENY
	R.	APOTH. IN DROYTWICH	Arms of Droitwich; quarterly 1st and 4th, checky, 2d and 3d, two barrows	1/2d.
43.	O.	GEORGE OLDBACK & ***SON	THEIR HALF PENY
	R.	OF DROITWICH 1667	Arms of the Town of Droitwich	1/2d.
DUDLEY.
44.	O.	WILL. BIGGS OF DUDLEY IN	Mercers' Arms.
	R.	STAFFO***	W.M.B.	1/4d.
45.	O.	JOHN FINCH OF DUDLEY	HIS HALFE PENY
	R.	IN WORCESTERSHIRE	Ironmongers' Arms	1/2d.
(Dudley properly belongs to Worcestershire, though it is surrounded by Staffordshire. Singularly enough, the two tokens above give it to both counties.)
EVESHAM.
46.	O.	THE BURROW OF EVESHAM	Arms of Evesham; a prince's coronet between two ostrich feathers, a garb in base, the whole within a border bezantée.
	R.	FOR NECESSARY EXCHANGE	B. E.	1/2d.
47.	O.	No inscription	Arms of Evesham.
	R.	FOR EXCHAINGE	B. E.	1/4d.
48.	O.	PHILLIP BALLORD	HIS HALFE PENNY
	R.	OF EVESHAM 1664	P. B.	1/2d.
49.	O.	RICHARD BENNETT	Wheat sheaf.
	R.	OF EVESHAM 1666	HIS HALF PENNY	1/2d.
50.	O.	PAUL BENNING	HIS HALF PENY
	R.	IN EVESHAM	A sugar loaf	1/2d.
51.	O.	WILLIAM BROOKE	W. A. B.
	R.	IN EVESHAM 1656	W. A. B.	1/2d.
52.	O.	PETER CROSS	P. M. C.
	R.	IN EVESHAM 1649	P. M. C.	1/4d.
There is another described as "PHILLIP CROSS," in all other respects the same; it may be an error of the die-sinker or describer. This is interesting from having the earliest date that is found on these tokens. No. 57 is also of the same early date.
53.	O.	JOSHUA FRANSHAM	HIS HALFE PENNY
	R.	IN ESHAM 1666	I. S. F.	1/2d.
54.	O.	RIC. GODDARD, IN BRIDG	R. M. G.
	R.	STREET IN EVESHAM	R. M. G.	1/4d.
55.	O.	JOHN LACEY	A flower.
	R.	OF EVESHAM 1654	I. M. L.	1/4d.
56.	O.	MATHEW MICHELL	Grocers' Arms.
	R.	OF EVESHAM 1653	M. M. M.	1/4d.
57.	O.	WILLIAM RUDGE	W. A. R.
	R.	IN EVESHAM 1649	W. A. R.	1/4d.
KIDDERMINSTER.
58.	O.	AT THE RAVEN IN	A raven.
	R.	KIDEMUNSTER, 1652	R. M. B.	1/4d.
59.	O.	THOMAS BALAMEY IN	Weavers' Arms.
	R.	KIDDERMINSTER 1667	HIS HALF PENY.	1/2d.
60.	O.	FRANCES CARTER	A pair of shears.
	R.	IN KITTERMINSTER	F. M. C.	1/4d.
61.	O.	EDWARD CHAMBERLIN	HIS HALF PENY.
	R.	IN KIDDERMINSTER	E. A. C.	1/2d.
62.	O.	EDWARD CHAMBERLIN	A man making candles.
	R.	OF KIDDERMINSTER	E. P. C.	1/4d.
63.	O.	WILLIAM MOUNTFORD	A tankard. W. M.
	R.	IN KIDDERMINSTER 1666	HIS HALF PENY.	1/2d.
64.	O.	LAWRENCE PEARSALL	Arms.
	R.	IN KIDDERMINSTER	HIS HALF PENY.	1/2d.
65.	O.	SIMON PITT 1670	HIS FARTHING
	R.	IN KIDDERMINSTER	S. E. P.	1/4d.
(This is one of the few FARTHING tokens which has the value expressed on it.)
66.	O.	RICH. RADFORD, HIS HF. PENY	Weavers' Arms.
	R.	OF KIDDERMINSTER 1666	Merchant Tailors' Arms	1/2d.
67.	O.	EDMUND AND WILLIAM READE	Weaver's Arms.
	R.	IN KIDDERMINSTER 1666	THEIR HALF PENY	1/2d.
68.	O.	JOHN ROWDEN IN	Nag's head.
	R.	KIDDERMINSTER 1656	I. A. R	1/4d.
69.	O.	NEVILL SIMMONS, BOOKSELLER IN	KIDDERMINSTER.
	R.	EDWARD BUTLER, MERCER 1663	THEIR HALF PENY	1/2d.
70.	O.	THO. SADLER, HIS HALF PENY	Chandlers' Arms.
	R.	IN KIDDERMINSTER 1664	T. A. S.	1/2d.
71.	O.	WALTER THATCHER	A shuttle.
	R.	IN KIDDERMINSTER	HIS HALF PENY 1670	1/2d.
PERSHORE.
72.	O.	HENRY GIBBS	HIS HALF PENY
	R.	IN PERSHORE 1666	H. G.	1/2d.
73.	O.	GIDEON PALMER	Mercers' Arms.
	R.	PERSHORE 1667	HIS HALF PENY G. S. P.	1/2d.
74.	O.	EDWARD PERKINS, HIS HALF PENY	Apothecaries' Arms.
	R.	OF PERSHORE, APOTHECARY 1664	E. P.	1/2d.
SHIPSTON-ON-STOUR.
75.	O.	RICHARD COOPER OF	A bee-hive.
	R.	SHIPSTON UPON STOWER	HIS HALF PENY 1669	1/2d.
76.	O.	HENRY COTTERELL IN 1666	Mercers' Arms.
	R.	SHIPSTON UPON STOWER	HIS HALF PENY	1/2d.
77.	O.	ROBERT FITZHUGH	Apothecaries' Arms.
	R.	IN SHIPSON 1664	HIS HALF PENY	1/2d.
78.	O.	EDWARD PITTWAY	Ironmongers' Arms.
	R.	OF SHIPSTON	E. P.	1/4d.
79.	O.	SIMON SIMONS	Mercers' Arms.
	R.	OF SHIPSON 1669	HIS HALFE PENY	S. E. S. 1/2d.
STOURBRIDGE.
80.	O.	A STOWERBRIDG. HALF PENY	Ironmongers' Arms.
	R.	FOR NECESSARY CHANGE	Clothworkers' Arms.	1/2d.
This is a town piece, the arms showing the principal trades carried on. There is a specimen in the collection of the Society of Antiquaries, having the reverse indented, doubtless caused by the previous struck token not having been removed from the die. It was bequeathed with many other Worcestershire Tokens to the Society by Dr. Prattinton.
81.	O.	JONATHAN BUTLER, MERCER	Arms of Worcester City; three pears.
	R.	IN STOWERBRIDGE 1665	HIS HALF PENY	1/2d.
82.	O.	ANDREW MUCHALL, IRONMONGER, HIS HALF PENY	In five lines across the field.
	R.	OF STOWERBRIDGE 1669	Ironmongers' Arms.	1/2d.
83.	O.	EZEKELL PARTRIDGE	HIS HALF PENY.
	R.	IN STOWER BRIDG 1665	E. M. P.	1/2d.
84.	O.	JOHN PRATT OF	A bridge of four arches.
	R.	STOW BRIDGE 1668	HIS HALF PENY	1/2d.
85.	O.	EDWARD SPARRYE	E. I. S.
	R.	OF STOURBRIDGE	1656	1/4d.
86.	O.	HUMPHREY SUTTON	H. S. S.
	R.	OF STOURBRIDGE	1657	1/4d.
SWINFORD (OLD).
87.	O.	JOHN RICHARDSON	HIS HALF PENY
	R.	OULD SWINFORD 1669	Arms of Worcester; three pears	1/2d.
TENBURY.
88.	O.	EDMOND LANE	Arms; a chevron between three arrow-heads.
	R.	IN TENBURY	HIS HALF PENY	1/2d.
89.	O.	EDMOND LANE	Arms as the last.
	R.	OF TENBURY	E. L.	1/4d.
90.	O.	ANTHONY SEARCH	PLAINE DEALING IS BEST	1/2d.
	R.	IN TENBURY	Mercers' Arms.	1/2d.
OLDBURY.
91.	O.	OLIVER ROUND	St. George and the dragon.
	R.	IN OLDBURY 1663	HIS HALF PENY	1/2d.

THE CLOTHING TRADE.

This must have been formerly an important trade in our county and city. The city of Worcester, and the towns of Bromsgrove, Kidderminster, Droitwich, and Evesham, were extensively engaged in it; and when many persons dwelling in other parts of the county had begun cloth making, much to the injury of these towns, an act was passed in the 25th year of Henry VIII, prohibiting all persons from making cloth, except such as resided in the above-mentioned places, but all persons were allowed to make cloths for their own wear, or for their children, servants, &c. At the present day only one loom is in existence in Bromsgrove, and in Worcester the trade has ceased for many years, although the Clothiers' Company still exists as a body for the administration of charitable funds.