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England - 1795

Baker`s Halfpenny

Obverse
Obverse:
Crest: (A garb).
Legend:
BAKERS HALFPENNY. 1795
Edge:
PAYABLE AT I + DENNIS LONDON . X . X .
Reverse
Reverse:
An inscription. TO LESSEN THE SLAVERY OF SUNDAY BAKING AND PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC WANTS: AN ACT WAS PASSED. A.D. 1794 in eight lines.

Vern's Comments:

PAYABLE AT + DENNIS LONDON O X O X O
PAYABLE AT I + DENNIS LONDON O X O X O
Diesinker, Arnold; manufacturer, Lutwyche. Four cwts. struck. Common.

 
Comments. About the time the token was issued there was a Jonathan Dennis, of Tottenham St., Tottenham Court Rd., a baker, who may have been the issuer.
 
   Many bakers, " ...under the pretence of being employed in works of necessity or charity, carried on their trade or calling on the Lord's Day". To prevent abuse, an Act was passed (34 Geo. III., c. 61) that no baker in, or within twelve miles of the City of London, should on any pretence whatsoever, make, bake, or expose for sale any bread or rolls, or bake any meat, puddings, pies, or tarts, or in any other manner carry on his business on Sunday, or any part of that day, under a penalty; except between the hours of nine in the forenoon and one in the afternoon, for the purpose of baking meat, puddings, and pies for persons who should carry or send the same to and from the baker's shop. This Act gave relief to the overworked journeymen bakers, and was welcomed by many of the masters-hence the inscription.
Commercial Coins 1787-1804., pp. 100-101

England — Middlesex

D & H 297 — Dennis`

Bell Pg: 100-101
O:    A wheatsheaf. BAKERS HALFPENNY. 1795.
A. 214
R:    TO LESSEN | THE SLAVERY OF | SUNDAY BAKING | AND PROVIDE FOR | PUBLIC WANTS: | AN ACT WAS | PASSED. | A.D. 1794.
E:    PAYABLE AT I + DENNIS LONDON . X . X .