Beggar's badge

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This beggar's badge is from the parish of Weem in Perthshire. It is made of lead and dates from the mid 18th century.

The obverse of the pentagonal badge has the letters 'WM' for Weem in a monogram within a rectangular border. The reverse has a number '5'. There is a single perforation near the top.

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: 000-100-002-212-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.KJA 83 A
• Date: Mid 18th century
  
• Material: Lead
  Badge, beggar's
  
• Dimensions: 32 mm L x 21 mm W
  
• What: Badge, beggar's
  
• Subject: Badges and insignia (NMAS Classification)
  
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Perthshire, Weem
  
• Event:
• Description: Lead beggar's badge, from Weem
  
• References:
  • Brook, A.J.S. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquities of Scotland 21 (1886-7), pp 169-179 
• Translations:
• Related Records: