Description
ONTARIO Hamilton Nobles Hotel Breton 776 German Silver 24.77mm, 3.90 grams (mintage 100 pieces)
William Noble and his wife, Elizabeth Jane (nee Hamilton) were born in Ireland in 1834. William is listed as tavern keeper in the 1871 census. The illustrated advertisement is from 1871 and is not included. In the mid 1880s he is still operating the Metropolitan Saloon and Billiards Hall at 53 James Street at the corner of Merrick (opposite the post office), as well as the Noble Hotel on James Street at the corner of Cannon Street West (southside). Breton notes that these tokens were no longer in use as of 1894. In 1900 after the death of his wife in 1896 he is shown living with his son Walter, who is also in the hotel business.
When doing research it is necessary to take some of the "facts" with a few grains of salt. His gravestone shows 1834 to 1916, the 1881 census indicates he was born in 1837 and his death certificate indicates that he was female. It also notes that he was 82 which coincides with his gravestone.