The Collection

Weights were used at the Stannary Courts (there were four Stannary Towns in Cornwall, in Truro, Helston, Launceston and Lostwithiel). The weights would be used to ascertain the weight and therefore the value of the tin brought to the courts from the tin mines within each town's district. Once the tin had been weight and valued, taxs and coinage would be paid at the local Coinage Hall and the tin would receive the stamp of the Stannary town. You can see an example of Truro's stamp on the 7lb weight. Each weight bears multiple stamps depicting the time period during which the weight was used, as well as the ruling monarch. Documented here are a 7lb, 2lb and 1lb weight from 1858. The word 'Avoir' next to the number on the weight's handle is a reference to the Avoirdupois System' a unit of measurement which combined pounds and ounces. This system of measurement was updated in 1959. The weights would have been used in the courts on the upper floor of City Hall.