Token from John Stanhope & Son, Morley

[queencorgi1]

This token belongs to a Stanhope family member. Can anyone explain what it was used for? It has the number '43' which suggests there were at least 42 others. John Stanhope owned and ran Queens Mill in Morley between 1861 and 1878, when he died.

[mazi]

I think it may be a works token.  Each employee would have one, and produce it on payday when they collected their wages.

Mike

[queencorgi1]

Hi Mike, I thought it might be something like that, although I must say I didn't actually know whether such a system existed. I am just a bit surprised that one should have survived through the millowner's own family ...

Thank you for your quick reply!

[mazi]

They were "on loan" to the workers, when an employee left they would hand back the token, which would be reused for a new worker, eventually the works would progress to the newer clocking on card system so all the tokens would end up back with the company owner.

Mike

[queencorgi1]

Thank you Mike! That's most helpful.