Published in Windlesora 16 (1998)
© WLHG
The Royal Borough Collection has a small number of trade tokens issued by businesses in Windsor. They look like coins without the monarch’s head and were used at three different periods of history when there was a shortage of official coins. Worth a farthing or a halfpenny, they were given out as small change and could be used at that establishment later, or in some cases at other businesses in the area. The number of other establishments that would take them depended on the reputation of the issuer.
It was in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I that the use of cash to pay wages really became common. During the period of the Civil War the parliament deferred a scheme to produce official farthings, halfpennies and pennies and, following the execution of Charles I, royal patents could not be issued. Traders resorted to making their own tokens for the first time and roughly 12,000 different designs were issued in this country between 1648 and 1672. One such token in the Collection was issued in Windsor in 1666 by Moses Bruch. He was described as an apothecary or doctor of physic and would have sold medicines and advised people on their health problems.
The token is approximately 16 mm (five eighths of an inch) across and on one side the inscription reads MOSES.BRVCH.IN.1666. with the Bruch arms – a chevron between three mullets. The other side reads WINDSOR. APOTHECARY with his initials MB in the centre, and is similar to those issued in many other parts of the country at this time.
But Moses Bruch was not just an apothecary. He played an important part in the administration of this town, being elected a brother* on 1st September 1673. The others elected the same day, took the oath on 6th October but Bruch was chosen a brother again on 30th December 1673 and sworn in at the Court Leete on 2nd January. He was bailiff from 1677-79 and became chamberlain of the poor in 1682. He became a bencher in 1683 and was promoted to alderman in 1684. It was from this elite group of aldermen that the holders of the highest offices in the town were chosen. He was deputy mayor in 1686/7 and Mayor in 1690/1.
He was present at the meeting on 5th March 1686/7 which ordered “That the Markett house (beinge very ruinous and ready to fall downe) bee pulled downe upon Monday next and soe soon after as conveniently may bee and that the materialls thereof bee sold and disposed of att the best Rates and Prizes as can bee gotten for the same”. He was assigned several tasks during the building including the negotiation of compensation for those who had lost property.
He was sworn in as Mayor on 6th October 1690 and on 17th October presided over a meeting that ordered “the new Buildinge over the Corne Markett bee made and appointed the Guildhall of this Burrough and the Courts and other publicke meetings of the Mayor Aldermen Bayliffes and Burgesses of the said Burrough bee for the future held in the said new Guildhall with all Convenient speed”.
On 7th April 1691, Moses presided over a meeting that ordered “the Markett Crosse beinge very ruinous bee taken downe and that the pillory for the more ornament of the Towne bee likewise downe and preserved for a moveinge Pillory to bee used upon occasion & the materials sold for the best price.”
Moses Bruch died on 18th March 1700/01 at the age of 62. There was a John Bruch, nephew of Moses, who was also an apothecary. He became a brother in 1683, but was discharged for non-attendance in October 1691. One other member of the Bruch family is recorded in the First Hall Book – Mary, who was made free of the corporation in 1707.
It is amazing where one tiny artefact can lead!
Pamela Marson
- Brother was the term used to describe the lowest level of town councillor.
The full story of the building of the Guildhall is told by Raymond South in Windlesora 7.
Works consulted:
BOND, Shelagh (Ed) The First Hall Book of the Borough of New Windsor 1653-1725
BERRY, George Discovering Trade Tokens 1969 Shire Publications
WHITTET, T D A survey of apothecaries’ tokens – Part 4: Berkshire The Pharmaceutical
Journal, November 26th 1983 (with many thanks to my mother for cutting out and
keeping the article).
( Web editor note July 2023: The Royal Borough Collection is now known as the Windsor & Royal Borough Museum collection )
Windsor Local History Group 