Works Tokens - From UK To Sa! A Tale.

Found amongst a load of coins that a friend had brought from South Africa.

I don't collect tokens but when you get three different styles from the same place and with the same ‘Works Number' you just have to know. Right?



Dobson & Barlow were a very large company producing textile machinery and based in Bolton, Lancashire, England from 1850. At their peak they employed some 5,000 people during and just after World War I. During the war they had switched over to munitions.

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Dobson_and_Barlow

So, three tokens each bearing the same number. Did the company provide free canteen facilities for breakfast and dinner? Being Northern England dinner would mean lunch to most other people. I also noted that the numbers were probably individually hand-punched because of uneven spacing. Imagine some poor apprentice being given the task -- "Now then, lad, you've got 2,749+ tokens, three different kinds (at least) and I want you to hand-stamp all the numbers individually (ad nauseam). Okay? Right then, get on with it!"

My friend doesn't know of a connection between any member of his family to the works or how they came to South Africa but it does make a fascinating conjecture.