Beggar's badge

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This beggar's badge is from the parish of Forteviot in Perthshire. It dates from 1741 and is made of lead.

The front of the oblong badge bears the single word 'Forteviot' above a horizontal line. Below the line, is the date, 1741 and the letter 'B'. There is a single perforation near the left side of the badge.

In medieval and early modern times, beggars were generally valued and respected for the news they carried and for their craftsmanship or their medical or musical skills. This only changed with industrialisation, when the numbers begging rapidly increased

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-002-197-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.KJA 47
• Date: 1741
  
• Material: Badge, beggar's
  
• Dimensions: 51 mm L x 24 mm W
  
• What: Badge, beggar's
  
• Subject: Badges and insignia (NMAS Classification)
  
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Perthshire, Forteviot
  
• Event:
• Description: Beggar's badge from Forteviot, 1741
  
• References:
  • Brook, A.J.S. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquities of Scotland 21 (1886-7), pp 169-179 
• Translations:
• Related Records: