Tuesday 2 March 2021

Cornish Money and Their Very Own Parliament


Back in March 2019 I wrote a post on Cornish money as issued by the Cornish Stannary Parliament in 1974. I still have one of the banknotes - as  seen above and below. You can see my previous post here: Cornwall's Very Own Cornish Money!


I was recently reading how Cornwall, in days of old, had a special place in the country because of the Cornish  tin miners (tinners).

Early in the thirteenth century they were, by charter, given law courts, a prison and even a Parliament of their own. The last Tinner's Parliament was held in Truro way back in August, 1752.

Only for such crimes as linked to 'land and limb' were tinners subject to the main courts of the period.

The charter also declared that tinners had the right to search for tin on any unenclosed land. 

So perhaps Cornwall is entitled to its very own money, though this probably wouldn't be very practical.

In the 18th and 19th centuries there were Coins known as Cornish Pennies, though they were really only trade tokens.

Thank you for visiting my blog, stay safe.


6 comments:

  1. Really interesting, Mike, especially about the Cornish Pennies (and I think the images are pilchards, copper and tin).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Caroline. It's an interesting subject - independence for Cornwall, perhaps!

      Delete
  2. Hello Mike, really interesting. I didn't know Cornish money existed, or a parliament! How exciting to have you very own bank note. Take care, Lulu x

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    Replies
    1. Hello Lulu, many thanks. The notes I have weren't circulated very much, as only a very few shops would accept them.

      Delete
  3. I have a five shilling note. It is number
    00569. Not sure how many were printed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment. The notes didn't circulate for very long. There were a few shops in St. Austell who would accept them at the time.

      Delete

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