Æ Farthing token,  22mm   John Casson.   OPPOSITE THE CHURCH • WELLINGTON ST WOOLWICH • curved above and below inner circle, within which J. CASSON GROCER &c. in three lines, first curved. Line under T of ST Line 2 lower, nearly equidistant from lines 1 and 3. First S of CASSON double entered.  R.  EXHIBITION PALACE View of Crystal Palace, LONDON 1851 in two lines below. Flag at left end of building points to foot of E Narrow date. (CP6) Edge: plain.  Batty 93.  TB2 5172 VF-GVF*

*US customers please note that this is strict British grading.

In directories from 1847 John Casson of Wellington Street is listed as a grocer. From 1855 he is a grocer and cheese monger, 59 Wellington Street. 1867 John Casson & Son, grocers, 59 Wellington Street (corner of Brewer Street). (1882) 1851 census: John Casson, grocer and cheese dealer, 59 Wellington Street. Born in St Pancras, Middx., he was 39, his wife, Charlotte was 29. They had three sons and a daughter, aged 7 to 1 year. Living with them were three assistant grocers and a domestic servant. In the 1871 census: he is recorded as a publican, living with his wife Charlotte and two daughters, Fanny (18) and Alice (13) the elder of whom is an ‘assistant at the bar’.
John Casson was evidently a man of many talents, for apart from being a grocer, and a publican he was also an inventor. What did he invent?  You'll find out if you read The Token Book 2.

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