Shropshire Star

Double puzzle of tokens from Shropshire village working men's clubs

Two old tokens from working men's clubs in Shropshire villages are causing some headscratching for Les Hall of Highley.

Published
Double puzzle – the working men's club coins

He's had them for years, but does not know what they are or were used for, and is hoping a reader may be able to help.

One of them is from Chelmarsh Working Men's Club, and the other is from the Highley Working Men's Club a few miles away.

And there are pointers to them perhaps being used as a form of currency, as the former has the amount 2d on the back, and the other is for one-and-a-half old pence.

"I have had them for 30 years," said Les.

"They came from the late Pat Barry from Highley, who was a local historian.

"They pre-date 1970, but I have no idea what they are and what the idea behind them is. I would guess that all working men's clubs had them.

"I have asked local people about them but have drawn a blank."

Highley still has a working men's club, but Chelmarsh no longer has a club specifically titled as a working men's club, although there was a Chelmarsh Working Men's Club until at least the mid-1990s.