Historical information

This King George III 1797 penny, colloquially described as a ‘Cartwheel’ because of its large size and thick rim, was manufactured in Great Britain from 1797-99. The penny and the twopence were the first coins shipped to New South Wales by the British Government. In 1800, Governor King issued a proclamation that forbade their export. This coin is one of the 132,000 coins sent to Australia in 1800. It is not uncommon to find cartwheel pennies used as containers. They were reputedly used to conceal a more valuable coin or for smuggling. The penny was purchased by the Society as part of a small collection of Henty memorabilia and portraits from the owner of Moorabool Antiques, Geelong in 2021, which had in turn acquired the item from the estate of Dennis Alston of Alston's Antiques in Hamilton, Victoria.

Significance

This cartwheel penny, used to contain a lock of hair of Thomas Henty (1775-1838), is of statewide significance to Tasmania, where he settled and died, and to Victoria, where his children and their descendants were notable pioneers, squatters and subsequently landowners in the Western District. The item is also of national significance for its strong connection to the Henty family, notable British settlers of southeastern and southwestern Australia in the 1830s. The connection to Kew (Vic.) is that members of the Henty family owned important mansions in Kew in the 19th century. Thomas Henty was the father of Stephen George Henty of 'Findon', and Francis Henty of 'Merino Downs' in the Western District and 'Field Place', Kew. Numerous members of the Henty family are buried in the Boroondara General Cemetery.

Physical description

Object of personal memorabilia. Coiled and bound lock of hair of Thomas Henty contained in a hollowed-out copper 'cartwheel' penny.

Inscriptions & markings

OBVERSE: Georgius III . D : G . REX /
REVERSE: Britannia 1797 /
SELLER'S LABEL: Lock of hair from the late Thomas Henty, born 1775