The Matrons Cellar

John Bannister issued this trade token, worth a half penny, for his business with the Matrons of Christ's Hospital (now site of old General Post Office building), Newgate Street.

Boyne & Williamson (1889) reference London number 632 (variation); Obv inscription: IOHN. BANNISTER. AT. THE. MATRONS (around field, in Roman capitals) Device = A man with one leg and crutches (in field); Rev inscription: SELLER. IN. THE. HOSPITALL (around field, in Roman capitals) Device = HIS / HALFE / PENNY (in three lines of Roman capitals, in field).

Christ's Hospital was a home for orphans on the site of Grey Friars' Monastery (Strype, ed. 1720, Survey of London and Westminster). The death of Mr Bannister on January 5, 1654 is recorded by Richard Smith in his Obituary, Sloane MS., 886, who may have been the issuer of these tokens. Smith records the death of Henry Bannister, a porter at Christ's Hospital on February 11, 1669, this is likely to be the son of the issuer of this token. See also token number 6783 in the Sylloge of Coins of the British Isles, 59, The Norweb Collection: Tokens of the British Isles 1575-1750, Part VII - City of London. There are two similar tokens in the museum collection, 96.66/328 and NN16693. Newgate Street lies in Bread Street Ward, in the City of London.