OCTOBER MUSINGS –

WHITEHAVEN – HARBOUR TOKEN

For my September blog heading I used an 18th Century harbour token inscribed on the front with WHITEHAVEN and on the back, HARBOUR. Several people enquired about it. It’s thought they were handed to ship’s masters by the harbour collector to indicate the ship’s dues had been paid. Being ready to leave and about to cast off, the master would give the token to a runner on the quay who would return it to the harbour master’s office. It’s also been mooted that they were given to workmen carrying out harbour repairs. This token is dated c.1775. For those of you who like technical details this coin is described in “The Mining and Related Tokens of West Cumberland” by Michael Finlay as having “foliate ornamenation within a dentate border”.

It’s slightly larger than a 50p piece – 29mm

THE UNDERWOOD

This month’s heading is the typewriter from J. B. Banks & Son’s Shop and Heritage Museum in Cockermouth – as featured in last month’s blog – it was in their old office. In my opinion “A magnificent piece of kit”. I learned to type on a manual, but not one as old as this. However, I think I could probably work my way round it if I had to, although I’d need to brush the dust off the keys.

COMING SOON

THE SHACKLETONS OF

I’m currently working on the cover with Dissect Designs and as soon as it’s ready I’ll be having the “Cover Reveal” fanfare. Then it’ll be the “Shackleton trilogy” – exciting. In the meantime here’s a few more pictures I took in Whitehaven during the summer.