17th Century Tokens : Kent_Street in Southwark

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Click Images to View Coin Details Kent Street Kent Street has been the scene of splendid cavalcades and processions. Chaucer's pilgrims rode along it. The Black Prince and Jack Cade both travelled along that street; and in 1597 the Emperor Charles V, with great state, accompanied out Henry VIII into London, acting their diplomatic play as it were before the eyes of the people. About a mile from St George's Bar, at the end of Kent Street (now Great Dover Street), was a tent of cloth of gold put up, in which the royal folk reposed while the heralds marshalled the procession. --[R. and N., 384] In Kent Street in 1778 was born Joseph Lancaster, the educationist. W286: Southwark, Kent Street (Farthing): (Date Unknown) O  Three goats' heads IOHN IOHNSON KENT R  I A I STREET SOVTHWARK I A I Image not available W288: Southwark, Kent Street (Farthing): (Date Unknown) O  A bear, H E M AT THE WHITE BARE H E M R  A / FAR / THING / CHANG / ER IN KENT STREETE A / FAR / THING / CHANG / ER Image not available This man was probably one who made it his trade to change, circulate, and gather up these very tokens. W289: Southwark, Kent Street (Farthing): (Date Unknown) O  A bear and ragged staff AT THE BEARE AND RAGED R  Three sugar-loaves, I A B STAFE IN SOVTHWARKE I A B Image not available In the Southwark signs we have the bear, the bear and ragged staff, the bear's claw, all colours and variations of bears. They tell of very important conditions in the old history of the Bankside Bear Garden, par excellence the place of rough entertainment. Some of the signs were cognisance of old families, "My father's badge, old Nevil's crest, the rampant bear chained to the ragged staff." ("Henry VI, Part II," Act 5.) Some recall the sports which in those coarser times were the recognised enjoyment of high and low." --[R. and N., 333.] The baiting of bears was the favourite diversion as early as the time of Henry II. Stow, writing in 1598, speaks of the two bear gardens "on the Banke of the Thames, wherein are kept beares to be bayted, as also mastives." Richard III appointed a royal bear-ward, named John Browne, "Master Guider and Ruler of all the Beares and Asses belonging to the Crowne. and the office existed until 1639. Edward Alleyn, the founder of Dulwich College, kept the Bear Garden on the Bankside during the times of Queen Elizabeth and Jas. I. The garden was closed in 1642 and the ground sold, and in 1686 his Majesty's Bear Garden was removed to Clerkenwell. One of the Bear Gardens mentioned by Stow (see under Bridge Foot) was afterwards converted into the Hope Playhouse, in which, in 1614, Ben Jonson's "Bartholomew Fair" was first acted. W290: Southwark, Kent Street (Uncertain): (1657) O  B E M BENETT MARINOR IN B E M R  A bear and ragged staff KENT STREETE 1657 Image not available W291: Southwark, Kent Street (Farthing): (Date Unknown) O  H E M HENRY MILES IN KENT H E M R  A woolcomb STREET WOOLCOMBER Image not available W292: Southwark, Kent Street (Farthing): (Date Unknown) O  The Mercers' Arms MICKELL RIDLEY R  M I R IN KENT STREET M I R Image not available W293: Southwark, Kent Street (Farthing): (1652) O  Three doves THOM STIVER AT THE R  T S 1652 END OF KENT STREETE T S 1652 Image not available

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