"The Yorkshire Coiners" (a somewhat misleading title - see below) was written by H. Ling Roth, and published in 1906. The book contains well over 300 pages, along with 25 plates, 233 illustrations and a massive index of names. In order to give you some idea as to the contents of the book, the list of contents is given below, following the review of the CD.

The following are available to help you ascertain the contents of the book:

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The full title of the book is "The Yorkshire Coiners, 1767-1783, and notes on Old and Prehistoric Halifax". The book is divided into 3 parts:

• The Coiners (112 pages)
• Old Halifax (160 pages) Chapters on various Halifax Families, Buildings, fashions etc.
• Prehistoric Halifax (36 pages)

A short review of the Book by Susan Johnson:

I was recently lent a copy of this book which apparently now is quite sought after, so it was pleasing to find that Colin had reproduced it on CD. The book is well worth reading giving a good all round view of Halifax past. It’s a book to keep going back to for more interesting facts.

The first section of the book gives a good account, using extracts from the papers and letters of the time, of the rise and fall of Yorkshire Coiners; not just our local Cragg Vale Coiners. Descriptions of people suspected of coining, murder, witness statements, trials and the final outcome - death. This part of the book also discusses the state of the coinage and currency of the time and the government’s policy towards “clipping”

Part two tells of the ancient history of Halifax and is interspersed with sketches of old Halifax . Did you know that most wives of respectable inhabitants brewed beer. If they exceeded their quota 4 times they were sent to the pillory. The price of bread was also set and the offenders treated in the same way as the brewers. In 1450 games were made illegal, dice, bowls, football and other illegal games were played under pain of penalty of 12d per offence. Trade, Civil Wars, house building, gibbet, the Piece Hall and old Halifax families are to be found in this section.

There then follows a fascinating section, with sketches covering - Ladies Hairdressing – “New invented cushions for ladies to dress their own hair without pins”, Milk of Roses for instantly taking off all kinds of freckles and tans. – “Harmless as the effects of common milk” and a composition to take off superfluous hair from the forehead and eye-brows. There is a chapter on Howcans pottery, the site is still there (I can see it from my window) and remnants of pots can still be found when walking on the hillside.

List of contents of "The Yorkshire Coiners"

• PART I. THE YORKSHIRE COINERS, INTRODUCTION
  • Milled Coinage
  • Facilities for Counterfeiting
  • the Government no Crime
  • State of the Country
  • of Counterfeit Coin
  • Coins
  • Gold Dies
  • Money Current in England
  • Misprision of Treason
  • Barbarous Punishment
  • Mention of Yorkshire Coiners
  • A Yorkshireman in Altona Hamburg
  • Apathy of the Government
  • and Stanhope's Detectives
  • Hayley and Crabtree's Narrow Escape
  • Affidavit of Samuel Lister and John Hustler
  • Arrest of Coiners
    • Stell
    • Crossley
    • Ten Men Arrested
  • a Curious Discovery
  • An Editorial Protest
  • a Sarcastic Letter
  • Appointment of Supervisor Deighton
  • One Hundred Arrests
  • David Hartley " King David "
  • The Murder of Deighton
  • Weymouth's Prompt Action
  • Proclamation
  • Broadbent's Statement
  • Mathew Normanton's Statement
  • Thomas' Statement
  • of Justices convened by Marquis of Rockingham
  • of Gentlemen who appeared
  • Carried
  • The Marquis' Report
  • Aid for Deighton's Family
  • The Appointment of a Government Prosecutor
  • Lister and Stanhope's Action
  • of Clipping
  • Proclamation : List of Absconders and Suspects
  • Normanton, Thomas and Fowles at York Castle
  • Deighton's Family
  • Their Pension and Grant
  • taken by the Treasury
  • Government Correspondence
  • Appointment of Mr.Chamberlayne
  • Proclamation
  • A Disclaimer
  • Appointment of Justices
  • More Arrests
  • Escape of Deputy Constable of Halifax
  • of William Hartley " Duke of Edinburgh "
  • Further Proclamation
  • Assizes
  • Oldfield and Varley Sentenced
  • Postponement of Trial of Deighton's Murderers
  • A Threatening Letter
  • David Hartley
  • Greenwood
  • His Quarrel with the Hartleys
  • Brief for the Prosecution of Thomas, Normanton and Folds
  • in the Brief
  • Broadbent's Statement
  • Witnesses to be Called
  • A Revengeful Murder
  • Methods of the Coiners
  • The Evidence of Innkeeper Bates
  • Broadbent's Information
  • Sladdins Information
  • Further Arrests
  • State of the Coinage
  • Guinea and Sovereign Balances
  • Names and Description
  • Thomas Clayton
  • Arrest and Escape
  • Turns King's Evidence
  • Account of the Murder of Deighton
  • Confession of Robert Thomas
  • of Thomas Spencer
  • Correspondence
  • Prosecutions
  • Letter from Sam.Lister
  • Decision
  • Thomas and Normanton Charged with Robbing Deighton
  • Sentenced
  • Hanged in Chains
  • His last Confession
  • Normanton's Trial Postponed
  • tenced
  • Normanton a Fugitive and a Prisoner
  • Executed
  • last Confession
  • Roman Money
  • Hanging in Chains
  • What it meant
  • The State of the Coinage,
  • Measures
  • The House of Commons on the Coinage
  • Evidence
  • Resolutions Passed to May
  • Counterfeits
  • Beware of Yorkshire Tykes and Guineas "
  • for Withdrawing Bad Gold
  • MoreProsecutions
  • Boltons
  • Thomas GreenwoodI
  • Last of Isaac Hartley
  • End of Thomas Spencer
  • and the Halifax Bread Riots
  • Saltonstall
  • An Eye Witness of the ExecutionsI
  • End of the Coiners
  • Alleged Dexterity.

PART II. NOTES ON OLD HALIFAX,

• CHAPTER I. THE MAKING OF HALIFAX.BY JOHN LISTER M A,
  • A View of Halifax in the XIVth Century
  • The Name Halifax
  • Halifax Parish Church
  • Some Old Halifax Charters
  • Imposing Seal
  • Some Thirteenth Century Curates
  • Town of Halifax Fined
  • Resident Halifax Rectors
  • The Milk and Wool, alias the Loaves and Fishes
  • Appeal to the Pope
  • and Small Tithes
  • The Value of the Halifax Rectory
  • Church Building Era The Parish Church
  • Halifax in the Time of Its First Vicar
  • King's Officers Forbidden to Enter the Liberty ofHalifax
  • Alleged Unwarranted Tolls in Sowerbyshire
  • Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield
  • Police Courts of the XIVth Century
  • At the Hall Mote
  • Sheriff's Turn at Halifax
  • Black Death
  • Gibbet
  • and Prior
  • Tithe Question
  • Population of Halifax in the Reigns of Edward III, and Richard II
  • Chapter of Crime
  • Sporting Vicar
  • Halifax Ale Wives
  • The Old Well
  • Breaking Bread Sellers
  • Forestallers
  • Defrauding the Rood and St.Catherine
  • Pious Testator
  • Unlawful Games
  • Affray in the Parish Church
  • Streets and Sanitation
  • Halifax summoned to appear at Westminster
  • there only
  • Houses in Halifax in
  • The Woollen Trade
  • Evolution of Surnames
  • Wretched Year for Wool Sellers
  • Somewhat Brighter Prospect
  • Halifax, Bradford, and the Cloth Trade
  • Forest Laws of Sowerbyshire
  • The Civil Wars
  • Building in the XVth Century
  • the Vicarage House was Furnished Temp.Henry VIII.
  • of Inhabitants and Families of Halifax Temp Edward IV
  • Haldworth
  • or Bate
  • Bairstow
  • Hall
  • Crossley
  • Otes
  • Wilkinson

• CHAPTER II. THE HOUSE AT THE MAY POLE. PERIOD HENRY VII.
  • Architectural Description
  • Account of Its Former Owners and Occupiers by John Lister M.A., and the late J H.Ogden

• CHAPTER III.THE HALIFAX GIBBET LAW.BY JOHN LISTER M.A.
  • off the Heads
  • Foreign Robbers Beheaded in Halifax
  • Theft or Other Cause
  • Police Administration of the Town
  • Proceedings of a Trial at Halifax
  • the Jury was Composed
  • are the Records ?
  • Peculiarity of the Gibbet Law
  • Earliest Description of the Halifax Gibbet
  • Sites of the Halifax Gibbet
  • Discovery of the Gibbet Platform

• CHAPTER IV. THE GENESIS OF THE HALIFAX MANUFACTURERS' HALL.
  • First mention of a Hall
  • Called
  • An Address
  • Meeting
  • little Advice
  • Talbot Close versus Cross Close
  • Supporterr)
  • Plans and Tenders
  • Objection to a Circular Building
  • Opening Ceremonies
  • Song Sung at the Opening Proper Approach wanted
  • of the Manufacturers' Hall
  • Packhorses

• CHAPTER V. BINNS' DRAWINGS
  • Old Houses in Crown Street
  • looking into Northgate
  • Swan Coppice
  • High Sunderland Gateway
  • High Sunderland
  • Rooks, " Hipperholme
  • Lower Rooks"
  • Archbishop Tillotson's Monumentz
  • Hall, Sowerby
  • Hartshead Church
  • Cross, Hartshead Church

• CHAPTER VI. LAST CENTURY.
  • Ladies' Hair Dressing
  • Hairdresser's Advertisement
  • Toppins "
  • Fashionable Hats in
  • Earrings
  • Calleche "
  • Lump " Head
  • Tally Irons
  • Pot Howcans Slip Ware
  • Baiting
  • Curious Jug
  • A Halifax Centenarian's Reminiscences
  • Old Domestic Utensils
  • Moulds
  • Thibles
  • Masher
  • Toasting Bull
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Snuffers
  • Stone Ovens

• CHAPTER VII. A HALIFAX HERO OF A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
  • Defeat of the French Admiral Linois in the China Seas
  • Conduct of Christopher Rawson
  • Admiral admires Oil Painting of the Engagement
  • John Marland Rawson Drowned
  • Christopher Rawson Settles at Hope House
  • Baronetcy Declined Joint Founder of Halifax Literary and Philosophical Society

• CHAPTER VIII. SOME UNKNOWN HALIFAX EXPLORERS.
  • Joseph Frobisher
  • Mackenzie's Eulogy
  • Frobishers at Montreal
  • Benj.Frobisher's Funeral Sermon
  • Family Baptisms Recorded in the Halifax Parish Church Registers
  • of Nathaniel Frobisher
  • William Frobisher, a Halifax Rope Merchant and Banker
  • Frobisher, the Father
  • Improbable Connection with the Family of Sir Martin Frobisher
  • H.Frobisher, Halifax Parish Church Organist.

• CHAPTER IX. HALIFAX HANDBILLS.
  • Shakespear News Room
  • Brown, Drawing Master
  • A Facsimile of one of Jacob's Copper Plates
  • J.Fawcett's Academy at Brearley Hall
  • The Advertisement of Jacob's history of Halifax
  • The Grammar School, Barkisland
  • Languages : Mr.Martin
  • " The School Boys' Resolution, " Fawcett's Academy
  • The Misses Mellin's Ladles' Boarding School
  • Mr Fawcett's Concert
  • By Special Invitation : Three Wonderful Phenomena
  • Signior Petro : Fireworks
  • Advertisement : Attack on John Hirst
  • Pardon Asked By those who attacked John Hirst and others
  • At Emerson & Co's.Tea Warehouse : Price List
  • Abram Mellin, Chemist & Druggist
  • A Robbery
  • " Funeral Biscuits "

• ADDENDA.
  • I List of Persons gibbeted at Halifax
  • II Old Pipe Bowls.
  • III.List of Halifax XVIIth Century Tokens.
  • IV.Skircoat House.

PART III, PREHISTORIC HALIFAX.

• CHAPTER I. SCATTERED REMAINS.
  • Excavations
  • Large Area still unexplored
  • No previous Mention of Prehistoric Halifax
  • Flint Chippings and Implements
  • Where discovered
  • Question as to Natural or Artificial Make
  • Forms
  • Flint Nodules
  • to Ncelithic Period
  • Binns, a Gifted Quarryman
  • Binns' and Spencer's excursion
  • record at Skircoat
  • Stott's find at Rastrick
  • The Mount Zion Chapel Urn
  • Hill, Warley, Urns
  • at Greave House, Midgley
  • Celts and Palstaves
  • Watson's record at Skircoat
  • Rawson's and Adam's find
  • Stone Celts found at Saddleworth
  • Castle Shaw
  • Holmfield
  • Other Stone Implements
  • Park
  • Heptonstall
  • Warley
  • Mixenden find
  • Circle and Barrow at Walshaw Dean
  • at Castle Carr
  • Grave at Wadsworth

• CHAPTER II. THE BLACKHEATH BARROW NEAR TODMORDEN, BY J.LAWSON RUSSELL,
  • Description of Locality
  • Circle
  • operations
  • description
  • Cairns
  • Cardinal points
  • of Objects found
  • Fragments
  • vessels, &c.
  • Detailed description of the Urns
  • of an adult female
  • of Urns(5)
  • Personal Ornaments
  • Bone
  • Jet
  • Amber
  • Implements.&c., other than those found in Urns
  • Stone
  • Flint, Flint chips, Chert, &c ,
  • Bone
  • General Remarks and Conclusion
  • Incense Cups