This is a historical site about early London coffee Houses and Taverns and will also link to my current pub history site and also The London street directory
LONDON TRADERS, TAVERN, AND COFFEE-HOUSE TOKENS, CURRENT 1649-1672. :
Index of Tradesmens tokens.
B1535. Obverse. Humfry . Tomlinson = Arms of the Inner Temple (?).
R. AT . THE . INNER . TEMPLE = GATE . MILINER.
B1536. Obverse. William . Oyle . at = A pair of shears.
R. IRELAND . GAT = W . M . O.
Stow, describing the Tower in his time, observes that " on the south side,
towards the east, is a great and strong gate, commonly called the iron-gate, but
not usually opened."
#642 AT IRON GATE In field, Grocers Company arms; I. E. P.
Rev. His HALFE PENNY The full name in monogram.
#643 EDMON SMITH AT IRON In the field, HIS HALF PENY.
Rev. GATE . NEAR THE TOWER A trumpeter sounding.
B1548. Obverse. EDMON . SMITH . AT . IRON = HIS HALF PENY.
R. gate . neare . the . tower = A Virginian holding a pipe and a roll of
tobacco. 1/2
#644 JOHN PATSTON The name in monogram, in the field.
Rev. AT THE IRON GATE In the field, I. A. P.
B1545. Obverse. John . Patston = Two monograms forming full name.
R. AT . THE . IRON . GATE = I . A . P. 1/4
#645 DAVID KEMPE AT THE A cock, in the field.
Rev. NEAR . IRON . GATE In the field, D. A. K.
#646 IN ST KATHARINES A cock and bull, in the field.
Rev. NIGH Ye IRON GATE In the field, W. H. R.
B1543. Obverse. at . the . cok . and . bull = A cock and a bull, facing each
other.
R. NEER . THE . IRON . GATE = H . I . M. 1/4
A graphical illustration of what most persons have heard a cock and bull story,
a tale expressing one thing, but meaning another ; a something told with, in
modern phraseology, a mental reservation to deceive. Cave Beck, in a now
excessively rare volume, hunted down by Grangerites for the portrait, entitled
Tfie Universal Character, 1657, 8vo, renders a coeval elucidation of the sign :
" The Egyptians of old had a symbolical way of writing, by emblems and figures,
which might be read by other nations instructed in their wisdom, but was so hard
to learn, and tedious in the practice, that letters soon justled them out of the
world ; besides, most of their hieroglyphicks were so catachrestical, the
picture shewing one thing to the eye, and a quite different sense imposed upon
it, that they justified the painter who drew a mis-shapened cock upon a
sign-board, and wrote under it, ' this is a bull.' "
A volume of early ballads, in the writer's possession, has one entitled " The
Cock and the Bull," a species of instruction to a young flirt how to vex her
lover ; the burthen being,
" Then to tell him a tale of a cock and a bull,
That you mean'd no such thing, but was playing the fool !"
So again, by a more recent writer :
" Jove bid it fill his head top-full,
Of taking Troy, and cock and bull."
Homer's Iliad Travestie, 1762, duod.
B1538. Obverse. John . rend . brewer = The Brewers’ Arms.
RR. AT . THE . YRON . GATE . 1650 = I . E . F. 1/4
B1539. Obverse. AT . THE . COK . AT . THE = A Cock. br>
RR. IRON . GATE . 1648 = I . M . H. 1/4
B1540. Obverse. DAVID . KEMPE . AT . YE . COCK = A COCK. br>
R. NEAR . THE . IRON . GATE . 1668 = HIS HALF PENY. D. A. K. (Octagonal.)
BB1541. A variety reads neare and 1669.
B1547. Obverse. JOHN . RAMMAGE . AT . THE = A Crown.
R. IRON . GATE . NEER . YE . TOWER = HIS HALF PENY.
B1549. Obverse. fear . god . honour . ye . king = Bust of Charles II.
R. at . ye . iron . gate . r . c. = Arms; on a fess between three demi-lions, as
many roundles. 1/4
#647 C? R. Bust of King Charles the Second, enrobed.
Rev. B. M. C. at Irongate Staires . 1664, in script type.
B1537. Obverse. A full-faced bust of Charles II. crowned, between C 2 R.
Rev. R . M. C .at . Irongate . Staires . 1664.
#648 JOHN SNOW IN WHIT[E] BAKER, in the field.
Rev. IREMONGER LANE In the field, I. S.
B1550. Obverse. Richard . Askew = A coffee-pot.
R. IRONMVNGER . LANE = R . A . A.
B1551. Obverse. JOHN . DAVENPORT . AT = A horse.
R. IRONMVNGER . LAND = I . D.
B1552. Obverse. James . Docksi . in = Arms; a chevron between three gauntlets.
R. IN . IRONMOGER . LANE = I . E . D.
B1553. Obverse. JOHN . snow . in = The Bakers’ Arms.
R. IREMONGER . LANE = I . S.
The venella, or narrow way, of Ivy lane is noticed in a grant by King Edward the
First to the City of London, in 1281.
#649 WILLIAM OSMAN . CORNE A harrow ? in the field.
Rev. CHANDLER . IN IVEY LANE In the field, W. O.
B1557. Obverse. Wil . Osman . corne = A checkered square.
R. CHANLER . IN . IVEY . LANE = W . O. 1/4
#650 WILLIAM HEBB IN Plasterers Company arms, in field.
Rev. IVEY LANE . 1664 In the field, W. I. H.
B1556. Obverse. William . Hebb . in = The Plasterers’ Arms.
R. IVEY . LANE . 1664 = W . I . B. 1/4
Ivy lane was wholly destroyed in the great fire. An advertisement in the London
Gazette, January 3d, 1666-7, announced that " Richard Royston, bookseller, who
formerly lived at the Angell in Ivy lane, and the shopkeepers who formerly dwelt
in the Round court in St. Martin's, are now placed in St. Bartholomew's
hospital, near Smithfield."
B1555. Obverse. O. SAMUELL . GAINSFORD = A Woolpack.
R. IN . IVEY . LANE = S . M . G. 1/4
B1558. Obverse. JOHN . SNOOKE . AT . THE = A SUN (?).
R. TAVERN . IN . IVEY . LANE = I . A . S. 1/4
B1559. Obverse. at . the . 3 . Crouns = Three crowns.
R. IN . IVEY . LANE . 1652 = H . E . W. 1/4
B1560. Obverse. soly (bust of a Turk) man.
R. att . the . coffee . house . in . ivy . lane . 1663 (in five lines). 1/4
#651 THE BUNCH OF GRAPES A bunch of grapes, in the field.
Rev. IN IACOB STREETE In the field, W. A. C.
&" The superexcellency of the grape plant and fruite is inestimable ; yet by the
way to be noted, in that God calleth his church a vine ; the fruite or wvce
whereof are good workes ; therefore in many places of the scripture, every vine
is cursed with a vce, whereon there are found no iivce. Ave blesseth, a vce
curseth." Henry Buttes's Dyete Dry Diiwer, 1599, sign. B3.
#652 WILL : SLIDD . SVTLER TO Y E GVARD Head of Monk.
Rev. AT S T JAMESES . HIS HALF PENY W. I. S.
IIssued probably from the canteen at the Horse-guard, in St. James's park, facing
the banquetting-house, Whitehall. In the second edition of Pennant's Accownt of
London is an engraved view from a painting of this period. Canaletti also
painted a view of the old Horse-guard ; it is engraved among the illustrations
to Smith's Westminster.
Monk, as captain -general, immediately after the Restoration had a brief
vitality of sign-board notoriety, that has long since passed away. His head
appears on this and another token, No. 1165. Distinction derived from a
meretricious and often misplaced popularity is but too frequently painfully
evanescent. Horace Walpole illustrates this remark most pointedly, in a letter
to General Conway, dated in April, 1747 ; alluding to this transitory adulation
in his day, he observes " I was yesterday out of town, and the very signs, as I
passed through the villages, caused me to make very quaint reflections on the
mortality of fame and popularity. I observed how the duke of Cumberland's head
had succeeded almost universally to Admiral Vernon's, as his had left but few
traces of the duke of Ormond's. I pondered these things in my heart, and said
unto myself surely all glory is but a sign." Sic transit gloria mundi.
St. James's fields, unbuilt-on until after the restoration of King Charles the
Second, was the open space west of the Haymarket, between Pall Mall and
Piccadilly ; now the site of Waterloo place, Charles street, St. James's square,
and Jermyn street. Here annually some centuries before was held a fair, till the
lank-haired religionists, who deemed even a smile profaneness, induced a
resolution of the Commonwealth Parliament, on Thursday, July 17th, 1651, that "
the fair usually held and kept yearly at St. James's within the liberty of the
city of Westminster, on or about the 25th of July, be forborne this year ; and
that no fair be held or kept there by any person or persons whatsoever, untill
the Parliament shall take further order."
With the return of royalty more liberal views obtained countenance ; and on
September 27th, 1664, a market, to be called St. James's market, for every kind
of provisions, was proclaimed to be thenceforth held in St. James's fields, on
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays ; and for all kinds of cattle, in the
Haymarket, in the parish of St. Martin's in the fields. The ground,
market-house, shops, and other buildings of the St. James's market, were on May
22d, 1696, leased to Thomas Hall, esq., for ninety-nine years, from Michaelmas,
1740, and to terminate on October 10th, 1839 ; the fine 1,300l V and the annual
rent 10l. The rents many years since were estimated at 500l. per annum ; and the
lease becoming the property of the earl of Godolphin, he, in 1766, left one
moiety of the rents to the duchess of Newcastle, and the other to the marquis of
Carmarthen. The market was let in 1799 at the annual rent of 1,600l.
#653 DAVID THOMAS. 1663 Infield, an anchor: crown above.
Rev. IN ST JAMES FEILDES In the field, D. I. T.
#654 SARAH AVSTIN AT THE GREEN Wild man, with club.
Rev. MAN IN ST. JAMES MARKET PLACE HER HALFE PENNY.
CChristian the Third, king of Denmark, father of Anne, queen of King James the
First, bore, as supporters to his arms, two savage men wreathed about the loins
and temples with ivy, and bearing spiked clubs. Queen Anne had such a figure as
her sinister supporter ; since represented in pageants and on the tokens as
bearing an unspiked club, and designated the Green Man. See also No. 1222.
The market-place was at the end of Norris street, a short street opposite to
Panton street in the Haymarket.
655 THOMAS JENNINGS IN A man dipping candles, in the field.
Rev. WESTMIN. OR IN MAR[KET] LANE In the field, T. E. I.
#656 THOMAS JENNGS IN A man dipping candles, in the field.
Rev. WESTMIN. OR IN MARKET] LANE In the field, T. E. I.
Market lane was parallel with the Haymarket, a cart-way leading from Pall Mall
to St. James's market. The houses on the east side have been long since absorbed
into the site of the rear of the King's theatre or Italian Opera-house ; the
arcade behind it being Market lane, so transformed in the modern improvements.
#657 GEORGE ROS GROCER In the field, a rose.
Rev. IN ST. JAMES MARKETT HIS HALFE PENNY.
#658 BURBAGE SALTER AT YE Rose and crown, in the field.
Rev. IN ST. JAMESES MARKETT HIS HALFE PENY.
#659 EDWARD PERSMORE A vase of flowers, in the field.
Rev. IN ST. JAMES MARKET In the field, E. E. P.
Vulgb, "the Flower-pot," but derived from the earlier representations of the
Salutation of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, in which either lilies were
placed in his hand, or they were set as an accessory in a vase. As popery
declined, the angel disappeared, and the lily -pot became a vase of flowers ;
subsequently the Virgin was omitted, and there remained only the vase of
flowers. Since, to make things more unmistakable, two debonair gentlemen, with
hat in hand, have superseded the floral elegancies of the olden time, and the
poetry of the art seems lost.
#660 RICHARD BARNES The Mercers' arms, in the field.
Rev. OF MARKETT STREET In the field, R. B.
Market street, on the east and west sides of St. James's market.
#661 LAVRANCE BALL HIS HALF PENT Bakers' arms.
Rev. IN ST. JAMES MARKETT . 64 In the field, L. E. B.
#662 RICH: BARRETT CHANLE B Cheese-knife, in the field.
Rev. IN ST. JAMESES. 1665 In the field, R. A. B.
#663 ELIZABETH TOWNSEND IN ST. The market-house.
Rev. JAMESES MARKETT. 1666 HER HALFE PENNY. E. T.
The market-house, of which no engraving is known to the writer, was erected this
year. Pepys, in his Diary, on April 1st (no fool either), confesses the
plenitude of his prying curiosity : " up and down my lord St. Alban's his new
buildings and market-house, looking to and again into every place building."
Modern improvements have now swept away the whole.
The Townsend family lived at the north-east corner of St. Alban's street, facing
the south side of the market-house ; they remained till the demolition, in 1818,
and then occupied one of the first erected houses in Charles street, in the
Haymarket, and are still there as poulterers.
#664 ANN KANES IN ST JAMES Floral device ; A. K. Rev.
Rev. MARKETT . MILLINER . 1667 HER HALFE PENNY.
#665 Mark Lawn. Fishmonger In the field, 1667, and 1/2
Rev. IN ST. JAMES MARKET PLACE A plough.
#666 THO: PAGITT CHEESMONGR A woman churning, in the field
Rev. IN ST. JAMESES MARKET PLACE HIS HALF PENY.1669.
#667 JOHN DICKENSON. 1669 In the field, a sugar-loaf; I. D.
Rev. IN ST. JAMES MARKET In the field, a rose.
B1878. Obverse. THOMAS. DEARMOR = 1666.
R. IN . MARKET . STREET = T . M . D.
#668 ED: CHENEY AT THE SWAN A swan, in the field.
Rev. IN JERUSALEM ALLEY In the field, E. A. C.
#669 SENT JERUSALEM ALLE In field, view of Jerusalem.
Rev. IN GRATIOVS STREET E. E. A., in the field.
B1561. Obverse. Sine . Jerusalem . Alle = A view of Jerusalem.
R. IN . GRATIOVS . STREET = E . E . A. 1/4
B1562. Obverse. Jerusalem . Alley = A boar’s head, with lemon in mouth.
R. IN . GRATIOVS . STREET = I . D . B. 1/4
This token was doubtless issued by John Blisse, to whom the following one
belonged.
B1563. Obverse. John . Blisse . at . ye . bores . hed = A boar’s head.
R. IN . JERVSALEM . ALLEY . l666 = HIS HALFE PENNY.
B1565. Obverse. thomas. fisher. 1666 ... = (Defaced).
R. IN . JERUSALEM . ALLEY = HIS HALF PENY. 1/2
B1566. Obverse. JERUSALEM . ALLEY = A Swan.
R. IN . GRATIOVS . STREET = F . H. 1/4
" In Redcross street, on the west side from St. Giles's churchyard, a large plot
of ground called the Jews' garden, as being the only place appointed them in
England wherein to bury their dead ; till 1177, when it was permitted to them,
after long suit to King Henry the Second and the parliament at Oxford, to have a
special place assigned them in every quarter where they dwelt. This plot of
ground remained to the Jews till the time of their final banishment out of
England ; and is now turned into fair garden-plots and summer-houses for
pleasure." Stow, ed. 1603. The occupation of the site by the Jews in the olden
time is perpetuated in the name of Jewin street.
#670 AT THE SUNN . 1659 . IN The sun in rays, in the field.
Rev. JEWIN STREETE In the field, I. M. D.
#671 JOHN GOULDLEY IN JEWEN I. G., in the field.
Rev. STREET . CHEESMONGER HIS HALF PENY. 1669.
B1567. Obverse. Francis . Backhovs . at . the. A bolt in tun between F . B. (In
four lines.)
R. IN . JEWEN . STREET . HIS . HALF . PENNY (in five lines). {Square).
B1568. Obverse. John . Cross . at . the . sUnn . & . red = A cross and the sun.
R. CROSS . IN . JEWIN . STREET = I . A . C.
B1570. Obverse. JOH . DOVEFEILD . IN . IEWEN . STRET = The sun in splendour.
R. his . half . peny . 1666 (in three lines; two lines of clouds between).
1571. Obverse. Henry . Duncombe = A heart and an anchor, joined.
R. IN . JEWIN . STREETE = H . S . D.
1573. Obverse. GEORGE . LANCASTER . IN — G . A . L.
R. JEWEN . STREET . CARMAN = HIS HALFE PENNY.
It was but rarely that tokens were issued by carmen.
1574. Obverse. Anthony . Lawson . at . ye . white = A lion rampant.
R. LION . IN . JEWEN . STREET . l666 = HIS HALFE PENNY.
1575. Obverse. John . Newton . grocer = A Saracen’s head.
R. IN . JEWEN . STREET . 1667 = HIS HALF PENNY. I . M . N.
1576. Obverse. Robert . Stanhopp . at . the = A fleur-de-lis.
R. IN . JEWIN . STREET . 1667 = HIS HALF PENY.
1577. Obverse. RANDOLPH . WATSON . AT . Y E = HIS HALFE PENY. ^
R. corner . of . Jeween . street = A boar’s head with a lemon in its mouth.
1578. Obverse. Tho : White . GROCER = The Grocers’ Arms.
R. IN . JEWEN . STREET = T . E . W.
The Old Jewry, on the south side of Lothbury, a street so called of Jews some
time dwelling there, and near adjoining. William duke of Normandy first brought
them from Rouen to inhabit here. Their synagogue, at the north corner of the
Old- Jewry, King Henry the Third granted to the prior and brethren of a new
order of friars, called the Fratres de Sacca, from their being clad in sackcloth
; on their extinction at a later date, Robert Large, lord mayor in 1439, and
Hugh Clopton, lord mayor in 1492, occupied the mansion. In 1598, when Stow
wrote, he adds " thus much for this house, sometime the Jews' synagogue, since a
house of friars, then a nobleman's house, after that a merchant's house wherein
mayoralties have been kept, and now a tavern, and hath to sign a Windmill." The
Old Jewry was utterly destroyed in the fire of September, 1666.
#672 ANDREW BLEACHLE . WHIT A hart couchant, in field.
Rev. IN THE OLD IVREY In the field, A. A. B.
#673 JOHN MELLER A game-cock, with spurs, in the field.
Rev. IN OLD IVREY. 1663 In the field, I. M. M.
#674 THO: WALKER AT YE SVGER LOF A sugar-loaf; 1666,
Rev. IN YE OLD IVRY.HIS HALF PENY T. I. W.
#675 HENRY FELLING AT THE A mitre, in the field.
Rev. LOWER END OVLD IVRY HIS HALF PENY. 1668.
B2151. Obverse. HENRY . PELLING . AT . THE = A mitre.
R. LOWER . END . OVLD . JURY = HIS HALF PENY. 1668.
Mitres occur as charges in the insignia of several English sees and abbeys, but
as a part of the episcopal costume in the Anglican church the practice has long
since become obsolete : it is the relique of a rule formerly attempted among the
Romish prelacy, even then neither strictly observed nor enforced.
#676 ROBINS IN OLD IEWRY The figure 3, in indentation.
Rev. Blank.
Struck on leather. One inch and two eighths diameter.
A LEATHER THREE-PENCE of excessive rarity ; formerly in the collection of Dr.
Samuel Pegge, at whose sale in 1797 it was purchased by the late David Alves
Rebello, of Hackney, for 21. 4s.
The idea of leather money appears to have struck the fancy of Sir William
Davenant, who, in his comedy of The Wits, 1636, 4to, thus alludes to it :
" Bury her gold with her !
' Tis strange her old shoes were not interr'd too,
For fear the days of Edgar should return,
When they coin'd leather." Act v. sc. 1.
Play- writers rarely adhere to facts ; and this flourish is a whimsy of the
poet.
Robin's, at a later date, is mentioned by Macky, as one of the three celebrated
coffee-houses in Change alley, called Garraway's, Robin's, and Jonathan's. That
writer speaks of Robin's being the resort of the foreign bankers, and often even
of foreign ministers. Journey through England, edit. 1724, 8vo, vol. i. p. 169.
#677 RICHARD TYMMS AT Y Three sugar-loaves, and R. T.
Rev. IN YE OLD IEWRY. 1670 In field, HIS HALFE PENNY TOKEN.
B2149. Obverse. Jurye . S . L (in two lines).
R. 1656 = A gridiron. ; large 1/2
B2153. A variety reads 3 in field of Obverse.
R. old . Jewry, etc.
St. John's lane, leading from St. John's street, where Hicks's hall formerly
stood, to St. John's gate.
#678 AT THE BIRD IN HAND Hand holding bird : star above.
Rev. IN s. JOHNS LANE In the field, T. M. A.
#679 JONATHAN GRAST IN ST. In field, the initials I. F. G.
Rev. JOHNS STREET . CHEESE MONGER [16J57.
#680 JOHN GARNER In the field, a globe.
Rev. IN ST JOHN STREET A globe, in the field.
#681 THOMAS SAYLE AT Y WHITE BE ARE A bear chained, in the field.
Rev. IN ST JOHNS STREET . SALTER HIS HALFE PENNY . T. S. S.
#682 GEORGE SCAVINTON In the field, a stick of candles.
Rev. IN ST JOHN STREET G. E. s., in the field.
#683 IAM . SMITH . SOPE BOILER Horse and groom, in field.
Rev. IN ST. JOHN STREET In the field, I. M. s.
#684 EDWARD MEDWINTER AT THE King's head; Charles the Second.
Rev. TAVERN IN ST. JOHN STREET HIS HALF PENY.
#685 John Dodson his halfe Penny, in four lines.
Rev. In St John Street . 1667, in script characters.
#686 THOMAS PRESTWOOD Salters Company arms, in field.
Rev. IN ST JOHN STREET . 1668 HIS HALFE PENY.
#687 EDMVND MANNING AT Y Tobacco-roll ; His 1, in field.
Rev. IN ST. JOHNS STREETS [16]71 A sugar-loaf.
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As ever I am appreciative of the archive.org site and google books for
showing old and non-copyright scripts which can be used for research (copied).