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Great Britain - 1813

Christopher & Jennett penny

Obverse:

A bridge over water, TEES above.

Legend:

CHRISTOPHER & JENNET

Exergue:

1813 / STOCKTON

Size:

34 mm.

Edge:

centre grained backslash D10

Reverse:

Britannia, seated left.

Legend:

BRITANNIA

Exergue:

ONE PENNY TOKEN

Vern's Comments:

Withers:

STOCKTON (Co. Durham)
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town and seaport of Durham on the borders of the North Riding of Yorkshire. The place is of great antiquity and is supposed to have been occupied by the Romans. It is situated on the Tees, which is crossed by an impressive stone bridge. There is considerable trade with Holland and the Baltic ports and much coasting trade with the Tyne ports, Hull and London. The principal imports are grain, timber, and iron. The principal exports are coal and agricultural produce. There are manufactories of sail-cloth, and iron and brass foundries and potteries. The town suffered greatly from floods in 1771 and 1783.

Christopher & Jennett
Robert Christopher & Thomas Jennett were booksellers and printers. Jennett, the apprentice of Christopher, matched the high standards of his master and was taken into partnership on completion of his indentures. Christopher, born in 1751, died in 1819. Jennett, who was born in 1769, took over the business. He was well-known, liked and respected. He was a magistrate, and mayor of Stockton three times. They also issued a shilling token in silver. They were agents for the Sun Fire Office. The depiction of the bridge over the Tees at Stockton is from a billhead engraving by Thomas Bewick, one of the finest engravers of the period.
Sharp et al. say that P Wyon was the engraver for this piece.

1115 Penny, 1813.

CHRISTOPHER & JENNETT• STOCKTON • incuse around on a raised rim; in centre, TEES 1813 above and below a bridge over water.
℞ BRITANNIA • ONE PENNY TOKEN • around on a raised rim; in centre, Britannia seated left.
Davis 6
Edge : centre grained backslash D10.
34mm 19.3g Die axis ↑↓. VC

Thomas Richmond in his Local Records of Stockton and the Neighbourhood, Stockton, 1868, page 117, in an entry for 1812, says:

In the following year, copper tokens of one penny and a halfpenny were issued by them, the former having "Stockton Bridge" on one side, and Britannia on the other, the legend "Britannia Penny Token;" the Halfpenny Token, without their names, having a head of Lord Nelson on the obverse side and a Ship on the other.

It is likely that it was purchased to be used not only in Stockton, but in many other places too. See Non-local 1590.

Christopher & Jennett penny