Cambridge, John Bird (Merchant Tailor), Farthings, 1667, in copper alloy, 12h (2), m.m. mullet...

Cambridge, John Bird (Merchant Tailor), Farthings, 1667, in copper alloy, 12h (2), m.m. mullet (m.m.) IOHN • BIRD • 1667, Merchant Taylor's arms, rev. (m.m.) • OF • CAMBRIDGE, 1667 in centre, mullet above and below (Cooper [1845], pp. 541; Babington 5; Searle 5; Boyne & Williamson 16; SCBI Norweb I, 367; Dickinson, Cambs 16), the first with clipped planchet, otherwise good very fine, the other lightly creased, fine (2)

Provenance
i) Purchased Alan Fordham, December 1986 -£7.50 (via Seaby, 1983 - £7)
with old Spink and Baldwin's dealer's tickets dating back to October 1926

Little is known of John Bird of Cambridge. A scant record of the Town Corporation files following the Great Plague document one 'Thomas Nicholson being freed from the apprenticeship of John Bird, Blacksmith' in January 1667. However, this is unlikely to be our John given his allegiance to the Merchant Taylors. Nevertheless, the Will of Mr Thomas Rippington as sealed on 30 March 1668 records his sole executor to be 'John Bird, the merchant tailor', with a further noted that Rippington passed away at the house of Mr Bird situate in the town of Cambridge, the following day.

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