NEWP: Mayor Jeffery Dunstan

chaze215

worldcoinguy

I'm curious to know what is going on with the pose.....does this imply that the mayor can dance?

chaze215

Kinda looks like he has to go to the bathroom...lol

farthing

Jeffrey Dunstan was a knock-kneed dwarf who really liked his beer. Very interesting character.

lordmarcovan

<< <i>Jeffrey Dunstan was a knock-kneed dwarf who really liked his beer. Very interesting character. >>



Aha- so that's not really a satirical portrayal, then, but rather more realistic? Hmm... interesting.

Cool Conder, of course.

chaze215

Thanks guys! I like this one.

farthing

Garrat was a small hamlet in Surrey. consisting of about 50 houses. In the mid-1700's they decided to hold mock elections for Mayor, which were quite profitable to the innkeepers in the area. To add to the farce they put up the most extraordinary candidates that could be found.

Jeffery Dunstan was one such candidate, he won the "election" 4 times, beginning in 1781. He was a traveling dealer in used wigs, a wag and a comic. Jeffery liked to visit various pubs in London, giving imitations of his election speeches. He also worked for Thomas Hall as a huckster for Hall's exhibition of stuffed animals. He appears on a Middlesex penny (#26), halfpenny (315, 316) and farthing (1056, 1057).

In 1796 he was finally beaten by a muffin seller "Sir" George Cook, who also appears on a Conder token by Prattent (Dublin 26, 314, Middlesex 460, Surrey 1, 2, 11, 12)

Jeffery Dunstan died from over drinking in 1797.

rwyarmch

"Sir" George Cook on the reverse of Middlesex 460.

chaze215

farthing: Thanks for that info!
rwy: Can we see the obverse?

rwyarmch

Obverse Prattent's Middlesex 460.