Westminster Fire Office, a Director’s pass, in silver, perhaps by J. Schofield, portcullis with chains, plumes within coronet above, rev. named (Mr James Hastie, Director 1788 and 1789), partially hallmarked for London, 40mm, 31.21g (D & W 164/487). Very fine and very rare £400-500

James Hastie, and his brother Hepburn Hastie, who became a director of the Westminster Fire Office in 1799, were the two sons of Archibald Hastie, who had fled to France from Scotland after the Jacobite rising in 1745. By 1760 Archibald was in London and he and his sons established themselves in Marylebone as carpenters and builders. They took 99-year building leases from the Duke of Portland on parts of what became Harley Place, Devonshire Place and some surrounding environs