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The token is one inch in size. It was used by a market gardener named Henry Sutton born Chadwell Heath, Essex in 1835 . He lived in Chadwell Heath all his life. When he was young he was an agricultural labourer living in Back Lane, Chadwell Heath. In 1871 he was a straw dealer. By 1881 he had a small amount of land and was a market gardnener. Kelly's Directory shows his business as being in Chadwell Street which is between Chadwell Heath and Ilford. He was a market gardener until the early 1900's.

I contacted British museum who recommended speaking to the Havering Numismatic Society. The maker of the coin was R. Neal and son of Percival Street,London. There were two possible uses for the tally/token. The first use was to pay the vegetable pickers. Each time the pickers brought their vegetables to a collection point they were given a tally/token. At the end of the day they would exchange these for money. This guaranteed the vegetable pickers did a days work instead of disappearing to quench their thirst. Another use was as a deposit for sacks/boxes with the london wholesale markets.

Henry Sutton is my great great grandfather. The coin has been handed down through the family.