Hatfield Tradesmen's Tokens (Cussans)

Dave Rees has kindly provided the picture of the half penny of Thomas Serin, of the Chequers Inn, Hatfield

The "Chequers Inn" ... stretched across the bottom of Fore Street, adjoining the side of the "One Bell". ... The first we hear of the Inn is in 1490, when at the Manor Court it was ordered that the water-course between "Le Cheker and Lesers Lane" be amended. By the early seventeenth century it had come into the hands of the Searancke family, who issued the half-penny token [shown]. In 1716 the Rev. Thomas Searanke, the then owner, insured the dwelling house of the "Chequers" with the Sun Insurance Office, London. ... From the billeting returns of 1756 the "Chequers" appears to be the largest in the parish. At the court of Astwick Manor held in 1802 we learn that the inn had lately be converted into a private house, and for some time afterwards it was used as the Brewery residence.  (Hatfield & Its People, Book 3)

The Moo-Cow Chapel where the Methodists first gathered.

from

The Book of Hatfield - a good modern book with many photographs

Published in 1978 by Barracuda Books