The E-Sylum:  Volume 6, Number 14, April 6, 2003, Article 14

FEATURED WEB PAGE

  This week's featured web page is about the Barnstaple Shilling
  of  Barnstaple, North Devon,  "the oldest Borough Town in
  Britain."

  "The tradition whereby the Mayor of Barnstaple presents coins
  to the inhabitants of the almshouses and residential homes in
  the town soon after he has been elected to office probably has
  its origins in the will of Henry Gardner Tippett who died in
  1795."

  "... the tradition of presenting coins to the almshouse residents
  has continued, albeit in a different form, to the present day.
  Now it is the Mayor who distributes the coins.  A sixpence
  used to be given but following the introduction of decimalisation
  and the later withdrawal of that coin a five-pence piece was
  used."

     http://www.barnstaple-history.co.uk/barnstaple_shilling.htm
  

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

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