Token of Charles C. Barley

Started by brandm24, April 21, 2020, 12:39:57 PM

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brandm24

We don't often see tokens or coins from New Zealand here in the US, so this was an interesting example to me. I used to be in contact with an American collector of New Zealand tokens from Bethpage, NY, but have now lost touch with him.

While I have some information about the token itself, I know almost nothing about who Charles C. Barley was or anything about his company. Other than what's on the token, I found a single mention of him having a shop on Queen St. (1857) in Auckland. I'd like to know more about him and the business. Any info is much appreciated.

The piece itself is 34mm bronze and weighs 13.8 g. I think this is an example of a series of private New Zealand tokens issued in 1858 as a kind of emergency money...much like US Hard Times tokens and English Conder tokens. More information on that era would be interesting also.

There was a note with the token "Andrews / A#27" I assume this is a reference designation number. If there is a reference by Andrews, it may have more details about Barley.

Many thanks,

Bruce
Always Faithful

malj1

Andrew's 27 isn't much help I'm afraid I try to find more info tomorrow.
Malcolm
Have a look at  my tokens and my banknotes.

FosseWay

Found Charles Culledge Barley in the Auckland electoral register for 1853-1864: residence Queen Street, occupation grocer, wine and spirit merchant.

FosseWay

I've done a bit more digging, and it seems Barley's stay in New Zealand was quite short.

He seems to have been born around 1821 in March, Cambridgeshire (source: 1861 England & Wales census). Barley is not an uncommon name in Cambridgeshire; I have relatives of that name from there, so it's not impossible I'm related to him.

He married 2nd quarter 1843, Shoreditch, London, but it's not clear who he married. His wife in 1861 is Eliza, born in Scotland around 1832. She'd have been too young in 1843. In 1861 they are living in Windsor Street, Chertsey, Surrey (now a London suburb) and he is a grocer and wine merchant. They have a daughter Helen Johnson Barley, b. c.1852 in Australia. There is a baptism record for Helen at All Saints' Church, St John's Wood, London, in 1855.

According to a passenger list, he (and one presumes his family, though they are not listed) arrived in Sydney on 26 April 1859 from Auckland on the ship "Breadalbane".

CCB appears to have died in Victoria, Australia in 1888.

So he was definitely in England in 1843 (got married), 1855 (had his daughter baptised) and 1861 (was in the census).
He was in New Zealand in 1859, because he sailed thence to Australia.
He was in Australia in 1852 (daughter born there), 1859 (arrived there) and 1888 (died there).

In short, he seems to have done a heck of a lot of travelling around, to an extent that in my experience is unusual for people who are neither very wealthy nor in the military. Most middle and working class people who travelled significant distances (e.g. to Aus/NZ) did so once, to emigrate or as convicted criminals, and possibly once back again in the case of criminals who have served their time. Constant sailing back and forth between Oceania and the UK was neither cheap nor risk-free. One wonders why he did it.

brandm24

Quote from: malj1 on April 21, 2020, 01:21:41 PM
Andrew's 27 isn't much help I'm afraid I try to find more info tomorrow.
Many thanks, Mal.

Quote from: FosseWay on April 21, 2020, 01:31:12 PM
Found Charles Culledge Barley in the Auckland electoral register for 1853-1864: residence Queen Street, occupation grocer, wine and spirit merchant.
Didn't know his middle name or the wine and spirits part of his business. Thank you for that.

Quote from: FosseWay on April 21, 2020, 02:06:25 PM
I've done a bit more digging, and it seems Barley's stay in New Zealand was quite short.

He seems to have been born around 1821 in March, Cambridgeshire (source: 1861 England & Wales census). Barley is not an uncommon name in Cambridgeshire; I have relatives of that name from there, so it's not impossible I'm related to him.

He married 2nd quarter 1843, Shoreditch, London, but it's not clear who he married. His wife in 1861 is Eliza, born in Scotland around 1832. She'd have been too young in 1843. In 1861 they are living in Windsor Street, Chertsey, Surrey (now a London suburb) and he is a grocer and wine merchant. They have a daughter Helen Johnson Barley, b. c.1852 in Australia. There is a baptism record for Helen at All Saints' Church, St John's Wood, London, in 1855.

According to a passenger list, he (and one presumes his family, though they are not listed) arrived in Sydney on 26 April 1859 from Auckland on the ship "Breadalbane".

CCB appears to have died in Victoria, Australia in 1888.

So he was definitely in England in 1843 (got married), 1855 (had his daughter baptised) and 1861 (was in the census).
He was in New Zealand in 1859, because he sailed thence to Australia.
He was in Australia in 1852 (daughter born there), 1859 (arrived there) and 1888 (died there).

In short, he seems to have done a heck of a lot of travelling around, to an extent that in my experience is unusual for people who are neither very wealthy nor in the military. Most middle and working class people who travelled significant distances (e.g. to Aus/NZ) did so once, to emigrate or as convicted criminals, and possibly once back again in the case of criminals who have served their time. Constant sailing back and forth between Oceania and the UK was neither cheap nor risk-free. One wonders why he did it.

Well, I went from knowing nothing about Barley to knowing his life story so to speak. I thought maybe someone on WoC would have access to the type of historical records that I don't. It would be interesting to find that you were related to him.

Your wonderful research is much appreciated. Thanks so much.

Bruce
Always Faithful