The Collection of 18th Century Tokens formed by Dr David L Spence

Arnold, Davison and Hawksley, Shilling, 1791, 11.34g/6h (DH 3; D & W 338/42); Sixpences (2), both 1791, plated, 6.25g/6h, copper, 6.26g/6h (both DH 4; D & W 338/43); Nottingham, Donald & Co, Halfpence, 1792 (3), reading promissory, 13.92g/6h (DH 6), reading promissary [a over o], 11.87g/12h (DH 7), reading promissary, 10.35g/11h (DH 8) [6]. DH 3 fine but with attempted piercing in centre of reverse, DH 7 good fine, others very fine and better (£60-80)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of 18th Century Tokens formed by Dr David L Spence.

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Collection

Provenance:
Fawcett/Litman Collection, additionally:
DH 6, 7 and 8 F.W. Lincoln Collection, Glendining Auction, 12-13 February 1936, lot 294 (part) [6 and 8 from Verity, 7 from Baldwin].

Second only illustrated. Robert Davison and John Hawksley (†1815), both well-known Nottingham businessmen, built a factory for worsted spinning at Arnold, 4 miles from the centre of Nottingham, in 1791. They employed up to 400 adults and 600 apprentices and children, some of whom came from as far away as Doncaster; many of the children were overworked, badly fed and housed, which resulted in a high mortality rate. Owing to the depression the Arnold Mill closed in 1811, and was subsequently demolished (Burton, BNJ 1923-4, pp.275-6, copied by Andrews, SCMB 1950, p.166). The Davison and Hawksley tokens were seemingly made in the summer of 1802 – the date they bear is that of the founding of the Arnold works – and the company paid Matthew Boulton for them in August 1802 (Doty, 1998, p.323 and CTCJ December 2000, pp.16-17). Donald & Co, stocking manufacturers, also at 29 Bull street, Birmingham and later at 74 High street, proprietor William Donald, fl. 1792-c. 1815 (Manville p.199)