Owner Comments:
Hampshire Portsmouth DH #55
Obverse: Bust of John Howard facing left IOHN HOWARD F.R.S PHILANTHROPIST.
Reverse: Arms of the town of Portsmouth over a castle bearing a shield with the arms of Chichester PORTSMOUTH AND CHICHESTER. HALF PENNY in two lines Ex: 1794
Edge: PAYABLE AT SHARPS PORTSMOUTH AND CHALDECOTTS CHICHESTER
Diesinker: Thomas Wyon
Manufacturer: Peter Kempson
Issuer: Thomas Sharp & Thomas Chaldecott
Weight: 9.44g
Rarity: Common
John Howard FRS (1726-17900 was a tireless campaigner for prison reform in England and Europe, documenting in great detail the conditions he found in his visits. He died in the Ukraine from typhus contracted while touring a prison there. John was the first civilian honored with a statue in St. Paul's Cathedral and his legacy and work lives on through the John Howard Society as well as other prison reform groups that use his name.
Thomas Sharp was a mercer and draper in Portsmouth and was married to Thomas Chaldecott's sister. Thomas Chaldecott was a silversmith in Chichester, Sussex. Sharp and Chaldecott issued a similar token catalogued as Sussex 19 and 20, the only difference in the design was the reverse legend which states CHICHESTER AND PORTSMOUTH.
Thomas Sharp issued several other Portsmouth tokens.
Atkins: Hampshire 34
Bt. John Whitmore