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The following list of Waits’ chains, collars, scutcheons and badges has been compiled by James Merryweather. Where pictures are available, click on the town name to view them. If you have information on other Waits’ cognizances, or more information on those listed, please contact us.
| TOWN |
Source |
Number |
Earliest Date |
Scutcheon |
Collar |
Links |
Sleeve |
Comments |
| Alnwick |
1 |
3 |
1705 |
silver, circular, 3″ |
no |
no |
badge |
|
| Beverley |
1,3,(!) |
2+2(mayor) |
1424 |
silver, plain shield, 1½ x 1¾” |
chain |
~50 eagle/beaver |
no |
|
| Bristol |
1,3 |
4 |
1683 |
silver, circular, 3¼” |
chain |
27 rose/pomegranate didmated |
no |
|
| Cambridge |
7,8 |
1 |
? |
oval ~8 x 5″ |
no |
no |
badge |
in Guildhall |
| Exeter |
1,2 |
4 |
1456-57 |
silver, small shield |
chain |
40 I/R in circle |
no |
1895 attr. sergeants at arms (1) |
| King’s Lynn |
1,2(!) |
3+2 (mayor) |
~1550 |
silver gilt, plain shield |
chain |
dragon+cross/curled leaf |
no |
|
| King’s Lynn |
2 |
1 |
? |
arm badge |
no |
no |
badge |
|
| Leeds |
1,4,(!) |
3 |
1626? |
oval, 4½” |
? |
? |
no |
In Civic Hall |
| Leicester |
1,5,6 |
1(3) |
1695-96 |
silver, oval ~shield |
chain |
small, plain links |
no |
|
| Lincoln |
1 |
1 |
1514 |
silver, oval |
chain |
25 plain links |
no |
in Guldhall, Regalia Room |
| Newark |
1 |
4 |
1713 |
silver shield |
chain |
? |
no |
|
| Norwich |
1 |
2 |
~1550 |
silver gilt, ornate shield |
chain |
28 castle/leopard |
no |
|
| Retford |
|
3 |
1670-80 |
silver, oval |
no |
no |
badge |
in the Bassetlaw Museum |
| Shrewsbury |
1 |
3 |
1706 |
Silver, oval, 13cm x 10cm |
? |
? |
? |
Mayor’s Parlour, Guildhall. Wrongly described as “Bellman’s badges” |
| Stamford |
1 |
6 |
1691 |
plain shield, 3½ x 2¾” |
no |
no |
badge |
|
| Wakefield |
1,3(!) |
1 |
1688 |
oval, 5″ |
no |
no |
badge |
|
| York |
1(!) |
3 |
1565 |
ornate shield, ~4″ |
chain |
42/35/32 leopards |
badge |
prob. originally for sleeve (holes) |
| Lost Cognizances |
| Coventry |
1 |
4 |
1441 |
silver gilt |
chain |
? |
no |
|
| Hull |
1 |
2-4 |
1436-37 |
silver gilt – enamel? |
chain |
? |
no |
|
| Ipswich |
1 |
1(6) |
1568 |
? |
? |
? |
? |
|
| Liverpool |
1 |
1 |
1594 |
‘the town’s scutcheon’ |
? |
? |
? |
|
| London |
1 |
?(6) |
1561 |
silver |
chain |
SS |
no |
see ‘A Noyse of Music’ |
| Oxford |
1 |
2 |
(1577) |
yes |
? |
? |
? |
|
| Other badges, not necessarily of waites |
| Derby |
1 |
1 |
– |
oval 5½” |
no |
sleeve badge |
yes |
1895 worn by town crier |
| Scarborough |
1 |
2 |
1688 |
circular 3¼”< |
? |
badges |
? |
|
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