Rare Wiltshire Tokens for Sale. It’s rather cool all this. As a fan of finding stories in buildings, plaques, park benches etc, what follows appeals for the stories told by these tokens that are going up for sale.
A remarkable collection of rare historic tokens connected to Wiltshire is set to go under the hammer at RWB Auctions in Royal Wootton Bassett. It’ll take place on Wednesday September 24.
The tokens, dating back as far as the 17th century, form part of a single-owner collection built up over many years. There’s an expectation that collectors from across the UK and beyond will bid.
In bygone days
In centuries past, when official small change was scarce, local business owners took matters into their own hands by issuing their own tokens. These pieces acted as everyday currency in shops and markets. They now provide a fascinating window into Wiltshire’s own history.
Among the highlights is a rare 17th-century token issued by Grace Naish of Devizes – one of the few known women making these things. Decorated with three cloves, likely a reference to her trade in luxury spices, the token also directs customers to her premises near Devizes Castle.
Rare Wiltshire Tokens for Sale – A Grace Naish of Devizes token
William Heath of Swindon struck another notable piece. This from the days when the town was a modest market settlement, long before the coming of the railway. Heath may have been a clothier, but further research could help confirm his trade.
There’s a fine 19th-century example issued John Lamb of Purton and Cricklade. It served as not only a currency but as an advert for his wide-ranging business as a draper, grocer, and ironmonger. It’s not so surprising then that he chose a lamb as his emblem.
Wiltshire-Grace Naish-Devizes-Token. Devizes-CastleWiltshire. William Heath-Swindon – Token-NameWiltshire. William Heath of Swindon-Token-Swindon
Also included
The collection also includes tokens from:
Calne
Malmesbury
Chippenham
Marlborough
Salisbury and Bradford-on-Avon
All along with 20th-century Co-op tokens, medals and GWR pay checks. A large and significant collection of historic Irish tokens adds further depth to the sale.
Kimberly Day from RWB Auctions’ Coin Department said ‘We’re delighted to bring this important collection of Wiltshire tokens to auction. They reflect a fascinating part of our county’s history. Not only of value to collectors they also offer a unique insight into local life, trade and economy over the centuries.’
The auction forms part of RWB Auctions’ busy autumn schedule. It also features antiques, collectables and jewellery, attracting strong interest from bidders around the world.
£150K for Breakfast Charity thanks to national lottery funding. And that’s a lot of bacon butties!
The National Lottery Community Fund grant, spread across three years, is a huge boost for the charity. BBP offers a cooked breakfast seven-days-a-week to homeless and hungry people in the town.
Nathan celebrating the National Lottery Community Fund award Mandy with Jonathan at Big Breakfast Plus
BBP has its base in the Pilgrim Centre on Regent Circus. It’s run be volunteers aided and abetted by a mere handful of staff and a committed board of trustees. The charity provides around 100 breakfasts a day. And offers a warm, welcoming, safe environment for homeless and hungry people.
James Puttick, chair of trustees, said: ‘This is a fantastic level of funding. It’ll enable us to continue to offer fresh cooked breakfasts to those who are hungry in Swindon all provided in a warm and welcoming environment.’
James said the funding would also help support investment in the charity’s longer term strategy, as well as pay for day-to-day costs, like the food and equipment.
‘In recent times, we’ve seen the need for our service grow due to rising food and energy costs. This funding will enable us to keep up with that demand. It”ll also let us expand on some of our wider initiatives, like our giveaway fruit bags, and other nutritional projects.’
£150K for Breakfast Charity – National-Lottery-Community-Fund-award-Big-Breakfast-Plus-celebrates
National Lottery Community Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund recently launched its strategy, ‘It starts with community’. That underpins its efforts to distribute at least £4 billion of National Lottery funding by 2030.
As part of this, the funder has four key missions. They are:
To support communities to come together
Be environmentally sustainable
Help children and young people thrive and …
… enable people to live healthier lives.
National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. Thanks to them, last year (2023/24) The National Lottery Community Fund awarded over half a billion pounds (£686.3 million) of life-changing funding to communities across the UK. That supported over 13,700 projects to turn their great ideas into reality.
SOS 2025 New Venues. Or new venues for Swindon Open Studios 2025.
It’s almost time to celebrate Swindon’s colourful creativity with a fun day out for all the family! This is the 21st year artists will welcome the public behind the scenes into their studios, workshops and homes to see their work. It happens during the last two weekends in September. This year, sees three new venues have added. This is because exhibitors are at different stages of their creative journey and not everyone has a dedicated workspace.
The new venues are:
The Wyvern Theatre – it will be open both Saturdays 20th and 27th September.
STEAM: Museum of the Great Western Railway
Great Moorleaze Farm near Wanborough
The latter two are open only for the first weekend: 20th and 21st September.
John Webb
John Webb (deceased) used to work for Great Western Railways and recorded scenes in and around Swindon’s works. It will please railway enthusiasts to see his paintings displayed in such an appropriate space as STEAM.
John Webb salvaging engine parts at Swindon workshops
STEAM is also an apt setting for Alex Crump because he loves and paints trains too. Alex is a well-established children’s book illustrator. He says, ‘I usually work at home in a converted loft. But I can’t invite people up there because I have to climb up a rickety old ladder to reach it! I’m so grateful for the venues making exhibition space available!’
To date, Alex has illustrated ifty-four books using watercolours, charcoal, his iPad and a computer programme called ‘Procreate’. His best-known illustrations feature in ‘Dragon Air’. The author realised that every country has its own version of these strange, winged creatures. Another story Alex is proud to have illustrated is the best-seller Niky Naky Noo published last year.
Alex Crump with a copy of Niki Naki Noo – photo credit, David ChalkAlex Crump – credit David Chalk
The Great Bustard
As a bird-lover, Alex always wanted to see a Great Bustard – featured on Wiltshire’s Coat of Arms. He posted an illustration of one on Facebook and the CEO of The Great Bustard Group invited him to visit. And then to create some images that the charity has used on merchandise.
Downton Distillery commissioned Alex to paint one as the mascot for their new Great Bustard gin. It’s won several global awards. More proof that Swindon can be proud of the work of its artists, seen all over the world!
The beauty of this event is that you can plan several visits in a day.
All kinds of arts and crafts are on show and this year about forty per cent of exhibitors are first-timers. Everyone is looking forward to conversations about art, stories behind each work, their inspiration, techniques and processes they use. Feedback on what people like is r encouraging and helps artists develop. Demonstrations and taster sessions are free but you might need to book workshops in advance. If you visit artists in their own studios, the added bonus is seeing the chaos that often accompanies creativity! Who knows – you might even get inspired to pick up a paintbrush yourself or find a new hobby for the winter months!
Doughnut Maker Branches Out. Artisan doughnut maker Pipp & Co, launched its first vegan doughnut earlier this year. And its now expanding its plant-based range with a new vegan banana and walnut loaf, plus four more vegan doughnut flavours.
The banana and walnut loaf bake, which has proved popular in Pipp & Co’s Bristol café, has gone on general sale via the company’s regular channels. That’s wholesalers, stockists, caterers and via its website to you and me.
Doughnut Maker Branches Out – Vegan Lemon Glazed Ring Doughnut with Pistachio Nib Sprinkles
Use your loaf!
‘We trialled the vegan banana and walnut loaf in our café, and our customers loved it,’ said Mario Evangelista. He co-runs Swindon-based Pipp & Co with his wife Betina. ‘Although we’re best known for our doughnuts, we wanted to expand our range to showcase our diversity as a bakery. And this includes our commitment to creating delicious plant-based products.’
Made with 45% real banana and nutritious walnuts, the loaf is rich, moist and naturally sweet. A satisfying plant-based option that doesn’t compromise on flavour or texture.
The new vegan banana and walnut loaf is available whole or sliced. Pipp & Co also bakes a non-vegan version. It’s also on sale in the café and will soon be available through wholesalers, stockists, and caterers.
Vegan doughnut
In March, Pipp & Co launched its first vegan doughnut, a mixed berry flavour, in response to growing demand from customers looking for a plant-based alternative. It’s since launched a second vegan doughnut – lemon and pistachio. And, this month (September) three more vegan flavours are being introduced. They are mango and Tajin, raspberry and basil, and rhubarb and ginger.
Pipp & Co bakes all its products in Swindon. Its entire range meets the baker’s strict criteria of using only natural ingredients. There are no artificial additives or preservatives here. Nor hydrogenated fats, palm oils or GMOs.
Mario said: ‘In the last three months, we’ve produced more than 20,600 vegan doughnuts. That’s a clear sign that demand for delicious vegan options is growing and here to stay.’
Banana Walnut LoafRhubarb and Ginger Jam Vegan Doughnut
Success Story
The expanding range is part of the Pipp & Co success story. The baker now makes 25 to 30 different products daily, compared to half-a-dozen two years ago.
And in more good news, Pipp & Co succeeded in completing its first SALSA audit. SALSA – Safe and Local Supplier Approval – is a robust food safety standard. It’s designed specifically for small UK food and drink producers, operating from a commercial kitchen. It goes beyond basic legal requirements to reflect the high standards that professional buyers expect.
Mario added: ‘This certification reassures our customers, buyers, and partners of our commitment to best practices in food safety management. And it opens the door for us to grow with confidence and supply even more delicious products to the people who love them.’
Pipp & Co doughnuts and other products are available through stockists from Reading to Oxford, and from Stroud to Bristol.
The company, which produces more than 25,000 doughnuts a week from its Swindon bakery, also opened their first café in Bristol last year. And there are plans for other outlets in the future.
More ‘Woo’ for Wootton Bassett. Yes, I know it’s Royal Wootton Bassett but the Yoast SEO prefers headings of only four words. So I’m flouting Google preferences using five! Anyway – to the point:
ENTREPRENEUR Louise Muir-Sage is quite overwhelmed by community support for her new crystal and spiritual emporium, Something Kind of Woo. So much so that she’s already expanding with the opening of Something Kind of Woo Too!
t was only two months ago that town mayor Cllr Steve Bucknell cut the ribbon on her first retail shop at 23 Merchant House, selling crystals of all types and other spiritual goods. Since then the shop has been a hive of activity.
She said: ‘My aim was to share my love of crystals, their beauty and their properties with others. The response from the community has been overwhelming. It’s allowed me to make a substantial expansion far sooner than I’d ever hoped.
More ‘Woo’ for Wootton Bassett – Lou with the deputy mayor of Royal Wootton Bassett
A variety of customers
‘Customers have ranged from people with a love of shiny objects, to those who embrace crystals in their everyday lives. Parents come in to get products for their children and locals often come in to browse.’
Louise has also supported fellow business owners by stocking their products. This includes silver jewellery from Charming Bee Accessories and the latest books of local author Lis McDermott.
Something Kind of Woo Too has now opened next door at 24 Merchant House. It offers something related but different to the shop itself.
Louise has held an interest in crystals for many years. But it was in 2024 that she began running Coffee & Crystal events in collaboration with fellow retailer The Little Gem Café. Now she still offers these events in person and online.
Cllr Fiona Holness, Royal Wootton Bassett’s deputy mayor, said:
‘It was a pleasure to meet with Louise. I’m so thrilled to see that, within a few short months, she’s expanded her business next-door and will be offering Reiki treatments accessible to the people of Royal Wootton Bassett and nearby. I wish her all success for the future.’
To learn more about Something Kind of Woo or to book a healing session at Something Kind of Woo Too, visit: https://somethingkindofwoo.co.uk/.
