James Conder
Encyclopedia
James Conder was an English businessman and numismatist. He is known for giving his name to Conder Tokens
and because of the coincidence of an ancient hoard of coins
found ten feet under his doorstep when his house was demolished.
pastor, John Conder
and his wife. He was born at Mile End
in London
and was educated at Ware in Hertfordshire and later by a Mr French, a Unitarian
minister.
Conder ran a drapery
business in Ipswich
. He was one of the first people to catalogue the 18th Century independently minted copper trade coinage that now often bears his name as a category of token coin
s known as Conder Tokens
. He published the first catalogue that would remain the definitive source concerning these coins for almost 100 years. The catalogue was titled, An arrangement of Provincial Coins, tokens, and medalets issued in Great Britain, Ireland, and the colonies, within the last twenty years, from the farthing to the penny size and it was published in 1798.
Conder did not simply study the Tokens; he also issued his own tokens to advertise his own drapery business. At the time the British Government did not issue low value coins as they had not been required. However the changes in the way the population worked was changing and there was a large demand throughout the country for low value coins. Many businesses were encouraged to create their own coins. The token illustrated was a provincial token issued by Conder's own business. The token carries the message Payable at Conder's Drapery Warehouse Ipswich and on the other side Ipswich Cross. That side shows Ipswich Cross and is dated 1794.
Conder was also known for his knowledge of the history of dissenting churches and meeting houses and had contemplated writing on that subject. As it was he was a major contributor to a work by a Mr Wilson on the history and antiquities of churches in the London area. James is also credited with completing a book on genealogy called The Conder Family which had been started by his father, John Conder. James completed the work, added details of his own father's life, and had it published in his father's name.
Forty years after his death, his house at the corner of Old Buttermarket and White Hart Lane was demolished, and a hoard of Anglo-Saxon coins was discovered buried ten feet beneath the doorstep.
Conder died after an internal abscess ruptured and caused him twelve hours of severe pain. He was buried in the meeting house in Tackett Street in Ipswich. Conder's nephew was Josiah Conder
, a leading author, editor and abolitionist.
Conder Tokens
Conder Tokens, also known as 18th Century Provincial Tokens, were first minted In 1787 by the Parys Mining Company that mined copper ore. They had plenty of copper, access to mints, and there was little low value coinage to be had in Anglesey thus they began minting their own penny and half penny...
and because of the coincidence of an ancient hoard of coins
Ipswich Hoard
There are two notable Ipswich Hoards. The first was a hoard of Anglo-Saxon coins discovered in 1863. The second was a hoard of six Iron Age gold torcs that was discovered in 1968 and 1969...
found ten feet under his doorstep when his house was demolished.
Life
James Conder was the seventh and youngest son of a dissentingEnglish Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
pastor, John Conder
John Conder
John Conder D.D. was an Independent minister at Cambridge who later became President of the Independent College, Homerton in the parish of Hackney near London.-Life:...
and his wife. He was born at Mile End
Mile End
Mile End is an area within the East End of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is located east-northeast of Charing Cross...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and was educated at Ware in Hertfordshire and later by a Mr French, a Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
minister.
Conder ran a drapery
Drapery
Drapery is a general word referring to cloths or textiles . It may refer to cloth used for decorative purposes – such as around windows – or to the trade of retailing cloth, originally mostly for clothing, formerly conducted by drapers.In art history, drapery refers to any cloth or...
business in Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
. He was one of the first people to catalogue the 18th Century independently minted copper trade coinage that now often bears his name as a category of token coin
Token coin
In the study of numismatics, tokens are coin-like objects used instead of coins. The field of tokens is part of exonumia. Tokens are used in place of coins and either have a denomination shown or implied by size, color or shape...
s known as Conder Tokens
Conder Tokens
Conder Tokens, also known as 18th Century Provincial Tokens, were first minted In 1787 by the Parys Mining Company that mined copper ore. They had plenty of copper, access to mints, and there was little low value coinage to be had in Anglesey thus they began minting their own penny and half penny...
. He published the first catalogue that would remain the definitive source concerning these coins for almost 100 years. The catalogue was titled, An arrangement of Provincial Coins, tokens, and medalets issued in Great Britain, Ireland, and the colonies, within the last twenty years, from the farthing to the penny size and it was published in 1798.
Conder did not simply study the Tokens; he also issued his own tokens to advertise his own drapery business. At the time the British Government did not issue low value coins as they had not been required. However the changes in the way the population worked was changing and there was a large demand throughout the country for low value coins. Many businesses were encouraged to create their own coins. The token illustrated was a provincial token issued by Conder's own business. The token carries the message Payable at Conder's Drapery Warehouse Ipswich and on the other side Ipswich Cross. That side shows Ipswich Cross and is dated 1794.
Conder was also known for his knowledge of the history of dissenting churches and meeting houses and had contemplated writing on that subject. As it was he was a major contributor to a work by a Mr Wilson on the history and antiquities of churches in the London area. James is also credited with completing a book on genealogy called The Conder Family which had been started by his father, John Conder. James completed the work, added details of his own father's life, and had it published in his father's name.
Forty years after his death, his house at the corner of Old Buttermarket and White Hart Lane was demolished, and a hoard of Anglo-Saxon coins was discovered buried ten feet beneath the doorstep.
Conder died after an internal abscess ruptured and caused him twelve hours of severe pain. He was buried in the meeting house in Tackett Street in Ipswich. Conder's nephew was Josiah Conder
Josiah Conder (editor and author)
Josiah Conder, sometimes spelt Condor, , correspondent of Robert Southey and well connected to romantic authors of his day, was editor of the British literary magazine The Eclectic Review, the Nonconformist and abolitionist newspaper The Patriot, the author of romantic verses, poetry, and many...
, a leading author, editor and abolitionist.
Further reading
- Dalton, Richard, and Samuel H. Hamer. The Provincial Token Coinage of the 18th Century. 1910-1918.