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Bridgewater Halfpenny
The coin alongside is an example of a Conder token. Conder coins (also known as provincial tokens) were produced in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and were privately minted by business owners, partly due to the lack of small denomination coinage in circulation. The government made little e ort to stop the practice and thousands of designs were produced. Conder tokensare named after James Conder who was an early collector and cataloguer of the tokens.
The 10g copper coin pictured shows a man carrying a load on his back, with the lettering “Manchester Halfpenny 1793”. The reverse bears the words “Success to Navigation” and a coat of arms. The coat of arms clearly shows the Bridgewater coat of arms with the lion rampant, crested by a crown. The ‘navigation’ refers to the Bridgewater Canal. There is also an inscription around the edge with different types produced. This presumably prevented ‘clipping’ - the taking of a small amount of metal o the edge of hand-struck coins to be melted and sold or used to make new coins.
Does anyone know anything further about these coins? Who produced them and where were they used? In later years the private production of such coins was clamped down upon as it could be used by unscrupulous employers to force workers to use their shops (this is known as the ‘truck system’). Private token coinage was banned in 1817 and the truck system came to an end (supposedly) with the Truck Act of 1831.
Thanks to Mark Charnley for supplying information for this article. Other sources include Wikipedia.
If you are interested in local history you will be very welcome at Eccles & District History Society whose meetings resume on 13th September. www.edhs.chessck.co.uk
Salford Histories Festival takes place at Fletcher Hall in Swinton, Saturday 28th October, 10am-4pm. There will be numerous stalls from heritage groups, talks, a vintage bus and various displays. Entry is free. For details go to the Salford Local History Forum website www.salfordforum.uk
The latest Salford Link magazine is now available. Costing £3.50, the 28 page full colour magazine celebrates Salford’s fantastic story. Articles include Whiteacre School, Sir John Seerey-Lester, Cycling Through Salford’s Past, Worsley Court House and much more. Copies can be purchased from Salford Libraries, Salford Museum, Ordsall Hall and via the Salford Local History Forum website.
