Beggar's badge

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This beggar's badge is from the parish of Ellon in Aberdeenshire. It dates from 1742 and is made of lead.

The front of the circular badge bears the name 'Ellon' and the date, 1722. There is one perforation at the base.

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: 000-100-002-188-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.KJA 22
• Date: 1722
  1742
  
• Material: Badge, beggar's
  
• Dimensions: 43 mm Diam
  
• What: Badge, beggar's
  
• Subject: Badges and insignia (NMAS Classification)
  
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Aberdeenshire, Ellon
  
• Event:
• Description: Circular beggar's badge with one hole, inscribed ELLON 1742 in large letters
  
• References:
  • Proceedings of the Society of Antiquities of Scotland 21 (1886-7), pp 169-179 
• Translations:
• Related Records: