Tower Hill Staff Records

The Royal Mint Museum has a collection relating to what the Mint makes but almost equally important is the collection of objects and records that document those who work and have worked for the organisation. These Establishment Lists survive in several different forms, becoming less easily accessible with time, but for those who joined the Mint from the 1870s the records exist in bound volumes and are now located in the Museum’s library. 

The hand-written entries note name, date of birth and when someone started at the Mint but they also go on to track the subsequent years of service, including promotions, increases in salary, bonus payments and, in some instances, when an employee was granted a residence within the confines of the Mint site on Tower Hill.  These records provide a remarkable insight into the careers of individuals more than 150 years ago, many carrying out jobs which still exist at the Royal Mint today.  For those conducting family history research, the career of an ancestor is revealed, a key fragment in building a broader picture.