The English farthing (derived from the Anglo-Saxon feorthing, a fourthling or fourth part) was first minted in silver in the 13 th  century. Before this farthings were created by cutting a penny into four, thus the name farthing (from fourthing). The silver farthing was a very small coin, and is rarely found by metal detectors. For many years they were thought to have been minted for the first time in 1272 but about two examples of this denomination from the reign of Henry III (1216-1272) have been found. Edward I Farthing Lincoln Mint In the reigns of Edward I through to Richard II, 1272-1399 there were silver pennies, halfpennies and farthings. The silver farthing was last produced in the reign of Edward VI (1547-1553), having gradually reduced in size until its use became impractical. This led to a shortage of a denomination which the wealthy producers (the government) did not really need but which the general population did. Due to this shortage of small coins, James I authorised John Harrington to issue tin coated bronze farthings in 1613, after a number of other proposals had been considered. In later years farthings were made in copper, tin (1684-1692), copper again until 1860 and then bronze, and ceased to be minted in 1956. The first machine named a bicycle Penny-farthings were only popular for a few years, from the 1870s to the 1890s, but their strange design has since become an icon of the Victorian era, representing the innovation and experimentation of the Victorian age. In 1869 a Frenchman called Eugene Meyer invented a ‘wire-spoke tension wheel’, followed closely in the early 1870s by the Englishman James Starley's invention based on a very similar design.   This then led to Starley inventing the large wheeled bicycle, called 'The Ordinary Bicycle' or 'High wheeler'. In 1878, the Columbia bicycle factory opened in the United States, and the machine became popular there. The name 'Penny Farthing' - because the big wheel resembles a penny, compared to the back wheel that resembles the much smaller farthing - was not used until much later.   Some of the most important parts of the penny farthing were the solid rubber tyres, ball bearings and pedals attached directly to the wheel hub - making the ride smoother than ever before (until then, bikes were very experimental and had no way of stopping bumps in the road from jolting the rider- giving them the nickname boneshakers!). However it was expensive to make, and therefore was usually only purchased by wealthy young men. The larger front wheel and small back wheel supposedly made the machine easier to ride. However, many riders found it difficult to get on and off the bicycle, and there were many injuries. Some riders even died from falling off the bicycle, because of its height, and a tendency for riders to fall over the front of the handlebars. When coasting downhill, riders had to take their feet off the pedals and put them over the handlebars. But penny-farthing bicycles were often quite durable and required little service. For example, when cyclist Thomas Stevens rode around the world in the 1880s, he reported only one significant mechanical problem in over 20,000 km, caused when the local military confiscated his bicycle and damaged the front wheel. James Starley had built the Ariel high-wheeler in 1870; but this was a time of innovation, and when chain drives were upgraded so that each link had a small roller, higher and higher speeds became possible without the large wheel. In 1885, Starley's nephew, John Kemp Starley, took these new developments to launch the Rover Safety Bicycle, so-called because the rider, seated much lower and farther behind the front wheel contact point, was less prone to a header. In 1888, when John Dunlop re-invented the pneumatic tire for his son's tricycle, the high wheel was made obsolete. The comfortable ride once found only on tall wheels could now be enjoyed on smaller chain-driven bicycles. By 1893, high-wheelers were no longer being produced. Use lingered into the 1920s in track cycling until racing safety bicycles were adequately designed, but penny farthings still live on today in clubs and societies all over the world.  

THE SILVER PENNY-FARTHING  (R3x32)  Jenny Bradley  Ness House 2  1- 8 1s cross down RH & cast behind 3s, dance up between 3s & cast up behind 2s to 1 st  place opposite sides  9-16 1s & 2s turn partners RH 1¼ times to end in centre with Men BtoB for ½ reel of 4 in centre while 3s turn RH 1¼ times 17-24 1s+3s dance ½ reels of 4 while 2s turn RH 1¼ times into top place on own side, 1s & 3s turn RH 1¼ times to own sides 25-32 2s+3s+1s circle 6H round & back