This is the first of a series of articles which appeared in a local paper. The Longnor Antiquarian interpreted the constable's accounts of Alstonefield. There are 22 articles in the series, of which this is the first. The rest will follow shortly.
Manorial in origin, the constable was the link between the Lord of the Manor and his tenants, and was also the keeper of law and order. He was appointed from the better off members of the parish by the jury of the leet court.
Article I Article II Article III Article IV Article V Article VI Article VII Article VIII Article IX
Article X Article XI Article XII Article XIII ARTICLE XIV ARTICLE XV
NOTES ON THE
ANCIENT PARISH OF ALSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING EXTRACTS FROM THE PARISH CONSTABLES ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676 &c
BY A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN.
- ARTICLE I. -
The following is a complete list of all the gentlemen who served the parish of Alstonefield as constable with the year of their respective elections
1677 Thomas Mellor, of Warslow
1678 Wm. Bullock, for Fawfieldhead
1679 George Eyre, for Alstonefleld
1680 John Hall, for Longnor.
1681 Wm. Downes, for Quarnford
1682 Thos. Hallsworth, for Stanhope
1683 John Smith, for Warslow
1684 Thos. Manifold, for Fawfieldhead
1685 Thos. Millward, for Alstonefleld
1686 Joseph Lomas, for Elkstones
1687 Richard Hine, for Heathylee
1688 Lawrence Stones, for Hope
1689 George Goodwin, for Longnor
1690 William Manifold, for Blackbroock, for Fawfieldhead
1691 Thomas Phillips, for Alstonefield
1692 John Bull, for Warslow
1693 Thomas Rogers for Hollinsclough
1694 George Titterton for Narrowdale
1695 Thomas Bagnald, for Warslow
1696 Matthew Plant, for Fawfieldhead
1697 James ………….for Alstonefleld
1698 Thomas Doughty, for Longnor
1699 John Smith for Quarnford
1700 John Frost, for Stanhope
1701 John Gould, for Fawfieldhead
1702 James Plant for Heathylee
1703 — Slack, for Alstonefleld
1704 Richard Kirkham, for Elkstone
1705 Samuel Yates, for Hollinsclough
1706 Wm. Johnson, for Hope
1707 Roger Jannance, for Longnor
1708 Thomas Swindle, for Fleet Green, Fawfieldhead
1709 Thomas Wood, for Alstonefield
1710 Thomas Gould, for Warslow
1711 Thomas Gould, for Oakenclough
1712 Robert Johnson, for Westside
1713 Wm Ball, for Hall Hill, for Fawfieldhead
1714 John Fox, for Quarnford
1715 Thomas Smith, for Alstonefie1d
1716 Wm. Grindon, for Longnor
1717 Robert Berisford, for Warslow
1718 Thomas Overton, for Stanhope
1719 George Chritchlow, for Berisford, Fawfieldhead
1720 John Fox, for High Ash, Heathylee
1721 John Blower, for Alstonefield
1722 John Chapman, for Hollinsclough
1723 Robert Mellor, for Elkstone
1724 John Bloore, for a living at Hope
1725 Thomas Brindley
1726 John Blower, for Cook farm, Allstonefield
1727 Isaac Gillman, for Waterhouses in Heathelee
1728 John Gould, for Ralph Wayns Barn in Warslow
1729 George Adams, for the Upperhouse at Narrowdale
1730 George Cook, for Hawks yard, Fawfieldhead.
1731 Thomas Swindil, served constable for Richard Hadfield, Wilsonknowl in Quarnford
1732 Thomas Swindells, for Richard Bowman’s farm in Alstonefleld
1734 Robert Bagshaw, for Hardingingsbooth in Heathylee
1735 John Frost for his own farm at Stanhope
1736 John Goodwin, for Roger Wood Fawfieldhead
1737 John Fynney, for Cawlow in Warslow
1738 Richard Gibbs, for Alstonefield
1739 Thomas Naden, for Willshaw for Hollinsclough
1740 John Goodwin, for John Brunt, Heathylee
1741 John Goodwin Martin Spencer for Hope
1742 John Goodwin, for Thomas Chapman Thomas Millward and Thomas 0liver all joyned for Longnor
1743 John Goodwin, for Samuel Philips Blacksmith for Alstonefield
1744 William Thompson, for his farm at Sitch at Fawfieldhead
1745 Richard Gould, for Bagshaws land Lower Elkstone
1746 John Goodwin, for William Ffindlow, for Duncrosgrove, for Hollinsclough
1747 Wm. Blacknall, for Gateham
1748 James Ball, for Fernyford
1749
George Robinson, for Boresgrave
1750 Thomas Rawlins Lode, for Rowley farm.
1751 James Plant, for Mill dam
1752 R. Gould. for Brownhill
1753
Thomas Heath, for Burch farm, Stanhope
1754 John Edge, for Low farm
1755 John Goodwin, for Thomas Robinson, Heathylee
1756 Thomas Hayes for Hope, for his one farm
1757 William Plant, for Warslow
1758 Thomas Hayes, for Thomas Chapman, Longnor
1759 John Goodwin, for his farm at Fawfieldhead
I760 Thomas Rowlins hill farm in Alstonefield
1761 William Wood, for his tenement at Colshaw in Hollinsclough
1762 John Ffinney, for Finney’s farm in Warslow.
1763 John Spencer, for Alstonefield
1764 John Goodwin, for William Bullock, Nab Foot
1765 William Grindon, Standford
1766 Thomas Bonsall, Narrowdale
1767 Abel Doughty, for his farm at Bank
1768
Wm. Lomas for his farm at Quarnford
1769 John Gibbs, for the Hall, Alstonfield
1770 John Wain, for Longnor
1771 Christopher Wain, for Thickwithins in Heathylee
1772
Hall White, for Stanhope
1773 Hugh Kidd, for his foxholes
1774 James Grindon, for his farm at Warslow
1775 John Adams for his farm at Alstonefield, called Booth’s farm
1776 Joseph Hurdsfield, for his farm in Hollinsclough called Black Bank
1777 Joseph Salt,
for his land in Heathy Lee, called Swainsmoor
1778 William Mellor, for his land in
Hope,
- called Froggatt Land
1779 Moses Charlesworth, for his house in Longnor
1780
John Redfern, for his farm Flash Bottom
1781 John Elliott; for his land in Mildale
1782 John Elliott, for John Cope, Fawfield-head
1783 Thomas Green, for Mr. Gould’s farm
1784 Wm Gould for his farm in Narrowdale
1785
Joseph Grindey, for Boosly Grange
1786
John Gould, Stoneford Moor, Elkstone
1787 Thomas Hulme, Hollins, Heathylee
1788 John Elliott
1789 John Elliott
1790 Thomas Gibbs, Alstonefield
1796 Robert Lowe. Warslow
1797 Robert Mellor, Alstonefield, for Wm. Wood, of Hope
1798
John Gould, Longnor
1799 William Prince, Wigginstall
1800 Wm. Bagshaw, Alstonefield
1801 George Brunt, Cocket Knowl
1802 Moses Bagnal, for his farm in Warslow
1803 John Blackwall, for Gateham
Grange
The account books of the Constables of Alstonefield contain some very curious entries which throw considerable light upon the customs of those early days. The following are a few selected entries: - Thomas Brondley in 1725 writes that he paid for 65 feet of timber for a bridge at Blackbrook £02 10s 08d. John Blower in 1728 records 'Given to two men who have been in Turkey 6d'. 'For writing warrants for ye window tax 6d'. The same constable found the proclamation of of King George an occasion for writing 'warrant concerning ye clarke of ye market'. This would probably be Longnor market. 'For shewing (shoeing) my horse 5s.' 'Paid to ye master of the house of correction 8s 8d.'
To be continued next week..........................
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10th, 1900,
NOTES ON THE ANCIENT PARISH OF ALSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING EXTRACTS FROM THE PARISH CONSTABLES ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676 &c
BY A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN.
- ARTICLE II. -
Isaac Gilman, of Waterhouses, in Heathylee who was Constable in 1727 was evidently a charitable man. He records “ Given to man who had great lost by fire to ye vallew of £478, the sum of £00 : 02 : 00. This bounty seems to have brought him into trouble with his constituents for he has a side note to the entry “ But these allowances are not to be accounted for any more.” The rebuke does not seem to have deterred his liberality for he has another item nearer the end of the of the year, “ Given to three passengers £00 : 01 : 00.” In spite of his open-handedness he collected only 71/2 lunes (£22 : 10 : 0) as against his predecessor’s 10 lunes (£30) and yet finished with a balance of £2 : 13 : 5 in hand. He knew how to pay his way as well as to be good-natured. He was, however, a man of some mettle as he had the Stocks restored in Longnor at a cost of £00 : 16: 08. He spent no less than £3 : 15 : 0 in repairs to Blackbrook bridge which had been an anxiety to the former Constable. I notice that he invariably spells Leek as Lee. This may be interesting as tending to throw light upon the name of Leek. John Gold for Ralph Wayne’s farm at Warslow was the next constable and he in common with many other constables had some rough jobs. One Jacob Johnson and his relatives must surely have seemed a “thorn in the flesh” to Constable Gold. He has the, following amongst other entries. “ With attending Jacob Johnson, 3 days, £00 : 14 : 06”; “With going before a justice to have his advice £00 : 00 : 06”’; With going before a justice with him and so to Stafford Gaoll £00 : 11 : 00”; Paid to William Beresford for his horse to carry Jacob Johnson to Stafford £00 : 02 : 06” This was very reasonable. “For Jacob Johnson’s examination- £00: 02 : 06”; “For making my p’sentment for Lent assizes £00: 01 : 06’ “Spent when I attended ye high constable when I delivered it £00 : 01 : : 10” “With going before a justice 3 times with Jane Johnson and Sarah Willshaw and for a horse for Jane Johnson £00 : 08 : 07 “. This looks black against Jane Johnson. Did not Sarah enjoy the drive which cost 8s. 7d? (This sum meant a great deal in those days). Attending to John Johnson about Onecoatt and Warslow, 18 days and nights being charged with him from time to time £02 : 12 : 02”; “With going to Stafford with John Johnson £00 : 06 : 08”; “Spent with going before a justice with Samuel Slack, Jane Johnson, Wm. Phillips., Thomas Mellor, and Martha Phillips. £00 : 01 : 00.” What a lot for a shilling! “With atending Samuel Slack one night £00:02 10’, ‘That’s a bit better. Paid for his examination £00:01:00 Spent with carrying Samuel Slack to goal £00 07 : 00.” This should have been enough to have broken even a constable’s back, considering the distance he was “carried” was about 36 miles. But John Gold the constable had not done with the troublesome Johnsons for he has further entries. “Goeing before a justice with Thomas Mellor and attend one night £00 :03 :06”; “With attending of John Johnson one night £00; 01: 06”; For his examination £00 . 01 : 00”; “‘With goeing with him to Stafford £00 : 06 : 08”; For searching for William Phillips. 2 days, £00 : 02 : 06”; “Paid for his examination £00: 01:00”;” With goeing with him to Stafford £00 :06 :00.” John Gold was a man not to be beaten or deterred from his duty by a little nor a lot of trouble. He stuck to the Johnsons and Mellors and Phillips until they got their dues, yet his records show traces of kindliness and gentleness when it was needed. There are such entries as these, “For lodgeing a poor distressed woman and three children and their horse £00 : 01 : 2” “Given to a poor sailor another time £00 : 00 : 06 for his extraordinary services and much time and money spent in refreshment he was, allowed the sum of £00 : 05 : 00. Mainly owing to Johnson and Co. he had to collect ten lunes (£30) in addition to taking a balance of£2 : 13s. from the former constable to meet the expenses of the parish. I should think he was heartily glad to unburden himself the honour of office.
George Adams of “Upor house, Narradale” was the next constable (1729) and he appears to have been good husbandman to the finances of the parish He had a troublesome customer to deal with in the person of one Joseph Bennet, who was carried into Flash and kept all night at an expense of ls. 10d.
Constable Adams evidently had the common weakness displayed in those days of being generous with the ratepayers, money. He charged “Given to 9 travellers into Lincolnshire £00 : 01 : 06.” At the conclusion of his accounts there is a curious resolution entered in some handwriting other than his own under date 29th October, 1730. It reads, “Whereas had been heretofore usual for the constable of this parish to expend twenty shillings at the passing of his accounts We, therefore whose names are hereunto subscribed doe in behalf of ourselves and the rest of the habitants within this parish for Diverse reasons think the said twenty shillings too much to spend att that time : And do for the future order and agree that ten shillings shall be only spent at the sd. accts. which shall be allowed only to the persons following,, viz. one shilling to the constable, one shilling to the bookkeeper and eightpence apiece to twelve head borrows ; and that all other persons that come to hear and see the sd. accts. shall bear their own charges. As witness our hands the day aforesaid.” This solemn resolution was signed by no less than twenty-five parishioners. Worthy George Adams was on the scene when the money spent in the presenting of the accounts of this wide parish was forbidden to exceed 10s. This would not allow of much pomp when shared by fourteen officers. It seems like a vote of censure.
George Cook, “of Hocksyard, for Fawfieldhead who came into office in 1730 affords another instance of the truth of the old adage ‘The merciful shall prosper.” he was even more generous than his predecessors and yet managed the affairs of the parish which extended far beyond Alstonefield to Quarnford for a year at a total expenditure of only £19:15s. 10d. He bestowed some strange gifts upon strange folk, and recorded his transactions in even stranger language. He writes, ‘Given to a drover which came out of Cheshire which had received, near 700lbs. of loss by fire and water, his wife and servants being drowned in ye house by ye consent of ye neighbours £00 : 02: 06:” This is rather cutting for the neighbours but, as they have ‘been dead’ over 150 years they will not feel disgraced at the publication of their “‘ consent” He also records “(Given two men which came out of Cheshire which had received 700lbs of loss “00:02:00 and given to a man which came out of York which received great loss by fir e and water £00:00:06 Fires were either dreadfully epidemic in 1730 or Constable Cook was greatly imposed upon.” He has yet another benevolent action to record thus For lodgeing a dumb man £00:O0 : 04.’
-
At the meeting at which his accounts were presented there was a very important and interesting discussion as to whether the parish fund should afford relief to a Mr John Hambleton of Gouldsitch who had met with a serious loss and the result of the discussion was the following quaint resolution : —“ Whereas John Hambleton, of Gouldsitch, (in behalf of his servant - Gabriel Lomas) has been put to the expense of about fifteen pounds in defending his sd servant who was prosecuted the last Michael sesdons at Stafford by one Greaves concerning two lambs which the sd. Gabriel swore he had that time lawfully and in an honest manner bought of the sd. Hambleton, which the sd Greaves claymed as his own : And whereas it did appear upon the tryale that the said Lomas was innocent of the fact laid to his charge and, thereupon was honourably acquitted. Itt is therefore, mutually by us whose names are hereunto subscribed that the present constable John Atkin, shall pay unto the sd. John Hambleton, when he makes his accts., the sum of five pounds in part of the charge he has been putt unto by the sd. unlawful prosecution as before set forth : But what is allowed in this case is not to be made a p’sedant in the like case that may att any time happen hereafter ., “As witness our ‘hands the 5th Nov. 1730, “‘This was signed or marked by twenty-five parishioners present.
To be continued next week..........................
NOTES ON THE ANCIENT PARISH OF
ALSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING EXTRACTS FROM THE PARISH CONSTABLES ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676 &c
BY A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN.
- ARTICLE III. -
In 1731 the Constable had a period of comparative rest, there being few events of an unusual nature to engage his attention, and his records are singularly commonplace that year his total expenditure only reached £17:11:10. He would not have retired from office, however, without having had his own particular adventure to refer to by the fire—side in the long winter evenings, when the land was locked up and the big world shut out for months at a time. He has the following entry which is as gruesome and suggestive as it is brief: ‘Spent went with Mary Slack before a justice for or concerning ye murder Of Robert Brough, £00 01 00.” ’Tho. Swindell,”whose appointment was thus quaintly expressed, was “Constable for ye p’rish of Alstonfield who served ye said office for Richard Hadfield for a living called Wilsonknowle within ye ‘said liberty of Quarnford,” was in office in 1731 This record is the first that shews that the parish year was from Michaelmas to Michaelmas. He has a large number of curious entries during his administration. There appears to have been a series of monthly meetings of parshioners, for what purpose is not apparent and there are frequent charges for several years of expenses incurred at those meetings. The first is: “Spent at ye monthly meeting, £00 01 06.” Constable Swindell is quite as funny in his expressions as the former Constables. He records ‘For carrying a vagrant prisoner before a justice £00 01 00.” As I cannot conceive, of any old use of the word “carry,” which differs from the ordinary present day sense of the word I am led to the conclusion that the vagrant was actually carried before a justice for some offence. This Constable got Longnor bridge, repaired at an expense of 2s 6d, which was certainly economical. He had some trouble with an inhabitant named George Naden, for whose examination before a justice he paid 2s. ; which, by the way, was double the ordinary charge of the period. “For taking him to, Stafford, £00 08 00,” is another entry, and shews that Naden was one of those who thought that if he had to go to Stafford it should at least cost the parish something to send him. An entry in which this Constable is shewn to have disbursed the funds at his control in a generous manner is the following: -“Allowed Mr. Wardle for prosecuting a fellon, £1 11 00.” this also bears the same construction: “Allowed officers of Stanshope and Hope for another, £00 14 06.,’ This obviously refers to another felon. Thomas Swindell acted again in the following year (l733),serving for Richard Boman’s form in Alstonfield towne.”
‘His records proper seem to indicate, that the year was an uneventful one. His sole act of charity was written down as “Gave to a lame soldier £00 01 : 00. An item which calls for comment is “Spent on myself and two jurymen when they met ye clerk of ye market £0 6 0 It is rather curious to note that this entry in common with others suggests that expenses were not necessarily the sum actually spent but rather the amount which it was customary to charge. The sum of 6s seems to have been charged by all the Constables on the occasion referred to. Some other interesting records in this year are the following: For repairing Alstonfield stocks, £0 00 08; ‘For making a pair of new Stocks at Holesclough, £00 06 10” “For setting 20 stone stoops over Swaller Moss, £01 00 00”; Spent at ye setting of them up, £00 03 06”; “Spent at Chedlleton when Jno. Johnson, ye blacksmith, was taken to jaole for 3 men and 2 horses, £00 03 06”; John Johnson, it seems, was still the plague of the parish, he must have been a very notorious man, and certainly cost his estimable neighbours a great deal of money. The next item is one which shews that the custom of “tipping” is no modern one: “Paid ye goaler £00 0 04”; “For a nights quarters at Hilderstone, £00 02 00”; ‘For ye horses’ hire, £0 04 00.” These all appear to have been incurred on our friend John Johnson’s account.
“Spent about Edward Brendley ye first night was taken £00 : 01 : 00” “For a refreshment at Cheddleton when they came back from Stafford, £00 : 01:00.” If this refers to Johnson and Brindley, certainly the parish was very kind to refresh them on their way back from “Ye house of correction.” At the meeting of parishioners to pass the accounts for this year the extraordinary resolution, of which I gave a copy last week relating to the grant of five pounds to John Hambleton, in respect of his defence of Gabriel Lomas, was not allowed to pass unchallenged. After what no doubt would be a deliberate, and a probably warm, discussion the following resolution, which speaks for itself was passed : —“Whereas by order November ye 5th, 1733, five pounds was agreed to be allowed to John Hambleton on “account of a prosecution of Lomas, and whereas it is aprehended ye said order might be thought inconsistent with ye rule of this parish which is only to allow ye reasonable expense of those who prosecute felons to conviction, but in regard ye said case was thought to be only a mistake of ye said parties in their proceedings, and therefore in regard to that and out of respect of ye said order, we whose names are hereunder. written have agreed to allow four pounds of ye said five which ye said John Hambleton was very well pleased with and thankful for. Witnessed and signed 31st October, 1734.” What a fine sense of honour and propriety: these ancient forbears had. They objected to the vote of five pounds by the former meeting “on principle” and yet forthwith granted four pounds to the same man in the same case and for the same reason. One can well imagine a little parochial jealousy having had a hand in bringing John Hambleton’s grant down 20 per cent. Thomas Swindell, who seems to have been fond of Office, served as Constable again the following year (1734). He gave further attention to the bridges in the neighbourhood of Longnor and repaired them with vigorous economy. He writes. “Paid for repairing Wooscoat bridge, £00 02 06”; “Paid for repairing Pigginhole bridge, £00 01 00”; “Paid for repairing one half of a bridge att Birchenbooth. £01 01 00”; “Paid for repairing Crowdecote bridge, £00:05:00.”
[To be continued] next week................................
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1900
NOTES ON THE ANCIENT PARISH OF ALSTONFIELD.
COMPRISING EXTRACTS FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676, &c.
BY A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN.
Robert Bagshaw was Constable in 1735 “for his farm att Hardinsbooth in the liberty of Longnor.” He set himself to improve the conditions of travel and erected a large number of way-guides or finger posts, and stoops. He has quite a large number of such entries as “Paid for wood for ye way-guide £00 07 00”; “Getting 20 stoops and leading £01 00 08”; “Paid for a rail for ye way-guide £00 01 00” ; “Spent when I bought ye bridge £00 00 06”; ‘Paid Mr. Clayton for timber £01 03 00”; “For goeing to Ipstones and getting ye rail and bridge £00 01 00”; “For making ye way guide, £00 02 04”; “For setting up 20 stoops Arch ford Moor £01 01 06.” A great many of times “Stoops” over streams or on swampy moors and low fields are still in use. It is distinctly interesting to stand on them and ponder upon the old times and the tangible results of praiseworthy labour for the public good done by these old-time Constables. Robert Bagshaw besides devoting so much attention to bridges and wet crossings; which he greatly improved, did not fall behind his predecessors in their charitable propensities. He has a number of entries shewing this. “Paid to a traveller and two children yt came with a pass £00 02 06” and “Gave to 2 lame soldiers £00 01 00,” are instances. I regret to notice that he also received a rebuke for these gifts at the expense of the parish, for at the meeting (which must have been something of a terror to the Constables) at which his accounts where presented, the bookkeeper, at the request of those present, disallowed these charges, and the accounts are endorsed “The money given to vagrants was objected to.” I am rather curious to know what kind of a “pass” a traveller and two children would be travelling with in 1735. Can any of my readers throw any light upon this old custom? Letters addressed to “Antiquarian, “Leek Post, Leek, will be welcomed and commented upon by me. ‘At the back of the last page of Robert Bagshaw’s accounts (1735) there is endorsed an interesting resolution which I will mention here. It is dated “May ye 8th, 1747” and is on the subject of the ‘Duchy rent which gave use to such bitter feeling amongst a section of the parishioners, who at that time had sufficient influence at the annual meeting to pass the resolution of which I append a copy. “We whose names, are hereunto set do all agree that John Goodwin must “go to ye best Council yt he can find, Let ye charge ye what it will for to see ye grant yt “Mr. Alsope demands ye Duchy rent by if he will not show it and if he will not show it for to “stand him tryale.” This resolution was passed at “a full vestry called for ye purpose” and shews, that, the parishioners felt very, strongly and were determined to carry out their intentions to the bitter end. The composition is really charming and would form an educational exercise if read by some of our present day public officers. In those days they knew how to say what they meant in unmistakable language. The best counsel was to be got at any cost and if they did not obtain, what was conceived to be their rights they would stand their opponent’s trial. How plain! The disallowance of Robert Bagshaw’s charitable charges seems to have led to the general dealing with the subject for another resolution is recorded at the back of his accounts and reads. November ye 3rd, 1741. A Memo made for all those that pay money to vagond persons without ye Constable’s consent shall bear it out, of his own pocit.” This was signed by Joseph Booth, William Gould, John Brunt, and Thomas Gibbs. There is nothing remarkably strange about ‘the disagreement of date, it was quite the usual thing to enter resolutions in any blank space in the account book and thus sandwich resolutions between matter and dates with which, they had no relation.
Such entries as ”Given ‘to ye soldiers £00 00 06.,’ ‘qiven to three seamen £0 01 06”; “Given to a disbanded soldier £00 00 06”; and given by Adam Nadin to two shipmen and three soldiers £0 02 00” although following the entry of the above memo, are really of prior date and no doubt formed the origin of the decision. A very proper one, I think.
John Frost, for his farm at Stanshope, was Constable in 1735.
He has an enormous number of expenses on account of the bridges in the parish which must surely have been in a bad way. I expect the policy of the time was to “patch” rather than restore, hence the constant breaking out and the recurring expense. He appears, however, to have made a determined attempt to make a good job of Crowdecote bridge and I think this is particularly credible to him as he lived so far away from it himself. This was his charge: “Paid ye 20 September for repairing of Crowdecote Bridge. Paid for ye mason work 1lb 14 6; Paid to Joseph Gould for loading free stone, lbs O6 0; paid to William Beresford for getting four tun of stone, ‘ lbs O 4 ‘0; paid for two loads of lime, lbs 0 2 0; total. £1 6 3. The total, it is rather curious to notice is wrongly added. Amongst other entries as shewing the attention he paid to the roads &c. may be quoted “Spent when I met the Headbarrows about bridges at Longnor, £00 01-00” “Spent when met ye second time about ye bridges £00 01 00 ‘; “Paid Ralph Bradbury for repairing two bridges £00 03 00”; “‘Paid to John Cleaton for work for ye repairing of ye bridges £00 02 00“; “Paid to William Chappill for ye repairing of Quarnford bridge £00 15 00”; “Paid for repairing of Milldale bridge £02 11 04.” is surely is a splendid record, if Constable Frost had achieved nothing else during his term of office. I have been much impressed by the great differences which appear to exist between sums incurred in similar work. For instance, 5s. was spent in repairing the two important and large-span bridges at Longnor and, 15s. over the much less bridge at Quarnford, and £2 11 40 over the bridge at Milldale, which could not have been much larger over the Dove there than the one at Longnor over the Manifold, which is a very wide and deep at flood time. It is interesting to note how small some other expenses were in proportion to the work done. For instance “Paid for writing a list of al freeholders names £0 O1 00’; “For taking it to Stafford £00 00 06” Last week I commented upon the fixed, charge for the attendance of the Constable and four jurymen to meet the clerk of the market and I have just turned up time following quaint resolution which confirms the personal impression I recorded. “November ye 4th, 1736’, It is then agreed yt for ye future there shall be only a juryman with ye Constable att ye Clerk of ye Market to settle ye affairs belonging to weight and measures agreeable to an Act of Parliament made for ye same and it is further agreed at this great vestry or ho1ding ,yt if any Constable for ye time to come does usurp or break this said order it may then be 1awful yt he shall be no more qualified than only paying ye fee thereunto belonging which is granted and agreed upon to be but four shillings and no more for ye Constable and ‘jury-man.” As witness our hands, &c. The resolution seems to me to have been more emphatic than courteous, and I think that the Constable might have been excused if had expressed his irritation in a more emphatic manner. Perhaps he did.
[To be CONTINUED].
SATURDAY, MARCH 3 1900.
NOTES ON THE ANCIENT PARISH Of
ALSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING E X T R A CT S
FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676, &c.
By A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN.
John Goodwin was Constable in 1736 “for ye office for Roger Wood, of Fawfieldhead” At the beginning of the accounts in this year first appears an item similar to one which appears regularly for many years subsequently, “Paid to Nicholas Riley for Blacks Bruck Bridge £00 01 00.” This probably indicates that Nicholas Riley lived near the bridge on “Black Bruck.” and was rewarded for the general care and oversight of it by the allowance of a shilling per year—scarcely princely pay. This Constable also had erected “Five stoops on Holesclough Moor £00 05 0.” I believe these same stoops are still, in use on the marshy path across Holesclough Moor. It is curious to notice how the name “Holesclough “.— a very proper name for the hamlet—has in the present day become corrupted in. Hollinsclough; Constable Goodwin found it necessary to keep up the Stocks, for he has the entries, “Paid for two stones for Longnor Stocks 1s. Od., paid for leading. them 0 6d., for dressing them, setting them up 5s. 6d., total £00 07 0.” “ Paid for a lock for Quarnford Stocks £00 00 4d.” The other entries this year are of a commonplace kind and do not call for comment. John Finney, of Cawlow, in Warslow, was Constable in 1737. The first item of expense in his accounts is one which was repeated with great regularity for many years afterwards. It was a charge of” Paid for foot ale £00 01 0,” which ale was drunk “‘when I came into office.” To pay footing upon all sorts and conditions of occasions is a very old custom. Formerly one had to “pay footing’ upon entering a new situation, upon moving into a new house, upon the occasion of a. birth, &c but it is seldom found that persons paying footing are in a position to charge the cost to some account of which they keep the funds. No exception ever seems to have been taken by the parish in meetings to these items of expenses for ale. I have heard it suggested that the reason is that the ale was drunk by nearly all of the parishioners present and that to object would be the last thing they would think of. So I suppose it continued until the period when the non-drinkers appeared as a class and when that time came there would soon be a noise about “a shilling” spent in beer. There would be talk of “the ratepayers’ money,”.” the sin of setting a bad example,” the principle of the thing,” &c. Little of interest occurred during John Finney’s administration. The land was assessed for tax and he spent upon ye aesessors of land tax and their horses £00 15 0.” He also spent several small sums in attention to the bridges, particularly that at Pigginhole, where he spent £0 12 0. Richard Gibbs for Alstonefield, was the next Constable, in 1739. The land tax assessment gave him a lot of trouble and he has numerous entries in relation to the matter. This is one: “Spent when we went to assess ye land tax £01. 02. 10 “—a little fortune in those days. The parish was evidently taxed with great expense in taxing the land; it sorely taxed the parish to tax the parishioners. This Constable also stuck to the bridges, which were always demanding attention, and amongst other items be has the following: “Paid for getting and leading, of stone for Black Bruck bridge and Pigginhole bridge £00 10 0.” “Paid for shifting ye stoops on Archetmore £00 05 02 “Paid for repairing Longnor bridge £00 05 0.” He has the following entry which shows that dark deeds were done in those old days. The pathetic incident is recorded in the briefest possible manner only barely sufficient being written to justify the charge on the funds. Spent upon 8 jurymen for Sheen parish concerning ye murder of Ann Mellor, Bastard Child, £00 05 06.” Thomas Nadin of Wilshaw in office in 1739. He had some quaint entries, the circumstances around which can only be conjectured, For instance, “Spent in goeing 2 days to give notice to the Overseers of the Poor of the new act, for to pay in money to ye High Constable £00 02 0,” does not leave a reader, one and three-quarters century after the event, very much wiser. Another item which certainly does not “speak for itself,” and many of the records do, is “Paid for carrying the body of Elizabeth Williams to Newport, in Shropshire, with a pass, and afterwards to Bradwell, in Derbyshire, the charges of two men and several horses with her £01 .09 O6.” The Constable must have been in a bit of a funk trotting a woman’s body about the country, first south and then north at such expense. It might have been plague-stricken and refused burial. I can well imagine that by the time the two men had got to Bradwell they had had enough of it. If they had not it might next have gone east and west. Constable Naden “Paid for repairing the stocks at Alstonefield with wood £00 02 06.” In 1740 John Goodwin held the office for John Broont (Brunt), of Holecar, Heathelee. He paid attention to the extreme boundary of the parish, as he “Paid to John Salt for leading stone one day for repairing ye bridge at ye lower water between Blackshaw Moor and Broncot Grange, also paid to 4 men for walling ye end of ye bridge 4s. 4d., total £00 09 04. This refers to what is now known as Upperhulme bridge. John Goodwin also served for Martin Spence for his farm at Hope in 1741. He writes “Paid for writing warrants for all unlicensed ale sellers to appear at ye justice for selling ale without licenses £00 00 6d.” “The trade” was not without its difficulties even so far back as 1741 and it does not seem to have ever been a privileged occupation. This Constable has a series of entries in relation to Hollinsclough. “Spent at Hollinsclough of suffishunt inhabitants of ye sd. parish of Alstonefield when we concluded to fash ye coroner £00 02 03.” “Spent when I went for ye coroner to Tideswell £00 01 08d.” “For summoning six jurymen 6d. “Spent for ye jurymen and several others £00 07 0.” Several others are delightfully indefinite. “Paid to ye coroner for his fees £00 13 4.” He evidently believed that his office deserved proper recognition. He must have been a lawyer as he a fixed his charges by 6/8’s and 3/4’s. “Paid to Samuel Granenor, apotacarry. his ffee £00 05 0.” That is a less legal sum and shews the difference ac between the two professions. “Spent ye next day when I went to Tideswell £00 01 8.” “Paid for meat and drink three days and nights attending them £00 02 0.” “Spent of 3 men and 1 woman and 3 horses two days and one night when we went with them to Stafford gaol £00 12 0.” “Paid for hire of three hrses and one of them dubble £00 07 6.” “Dubble” is very funny. Was it an extraordinary horse? What was the cause of all this expense and the attendance of the coroner, the apothecarry, and the ultimate lodgment of “them “ in Stafford gaol is not stated, but it may be taken for granted of such an event or number of events must have caused tremendous excitement in peaceful Hollinsclough. Another series of entries appear to have been in connection with the Same matter, “Aug. ye 4th for a bill of inditment against John and Sarah Hall at Stafford £00 11 8’ “Paid for carrying ye Bill to ye Clerk of ye assizes for to sware ye witness 6d.” “Paid for swearing 10 witnesses £00 03 4.” “Paid for carrying ye Bill en to ye Grandeury 6d.” Paid for part of Humphrey Cleaton’s charges to Stafford Assizes £00 02 0.”’ “Paid to Sarah Winterbottom by ye judge and jury’s orders £02 02 0.” “Spent of myself and my horse 3 days and nights £00 09 02 He has the further curious entries, “Paid for getting and to leading stone for ye way gide near ye Blackmare att and walling it £00 02 6,” “Paid for serching for ye stocks in Quarnford Liberty £00 00 6.”
[To be CONTINUED].
Saturday, March 10th 1900
NOTES ON THE
ANCIENT PARISH OF
ALSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING EXTRACTS
FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676, &c.
By A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN.
My readers will no doubt remember the strong protest made by the parishioners against the duchy rent and the emphatic language of a resolution I quoted on the subject a fortnight ago. I have just met with the following memorandum: “Whereas Mr. John Alsope doth “demand the sum of two pounds a year as a “rent due to the Duchy Court of Lancaster and “has desired the Constable of Alstonfleld-parish “to collect the same, and as the Constable doth “not know how to gather the said rent; at a “public meeting of the inhabitnts aforesaid, “it is determined not for to pay the said rent of £2 until the said Mr. Alsope has produced “and showed his title to the same unto such “Councell as the said inhabitants or the major “part of them shall fix on to perruse the said “grant. Witness our hands this 22nd October, “1744.” This straightforward, common-sense resolution is signed by M. Osborne, John Ffynney, William Gould, John Blower, Henry Brunt, Joseph Booth, Robert Bagshaw, Thomas Millward, Ralph Bradbury, William Tumpson, William Oliver, William Finney, William Grindon, Thomas Bonsall, John Gould, Isaac Moss and Richard Wain. I have given the names because I know that many of my readers will be glad to recognise their ancestors amongst those, who made this plucky stand in dark times for their rights. It was an action of which many are proud to learn their progenitors had a part. One can easily imagine that they had taxes enough to meet without being called upon to pay a rent for which they saw no liability.
John Tumpson, who was constable the same year, 1743/44, showed by his accounts that the taxes were very numerous. I quote the following: “Paid for writing warrants to pay ye land tax £00 00 06,’; “Paid for writing warrants for badgers and swalers to take licenses £00 00 06” ; “Paid for, writing warrants to pay ye land tax and window tax £00 01 0” ‘‘Paid for writing warrants to ’sess the land tax £00 00 06”; “Spent’ of the sessors and myself and our horses £01 06 10.’ There are numerous other items in connection with taxes and charges for necessaries that we should not submit to be taxed upon in our days. This Con-table had no easy time, his year of office being full of activity. He had to contend with the greatest indignation amongst the inhabitants at the claim for Duchy rent, and he had evidently to travel this wide parish twelve miles wide to notify the inhabitants of this charge. His personal expenses are ridiculous, in the extreme. He has, ‘Spent when I went throw the parish to give notis about the Duchey money £O0 00 06.” Fancy calling at scattered houses throughout this wild country within a twelve mile radius of his own house, probably explaining to indignant inhabitants their liability to pay a rent for which they saw no justi fication at a charge of sixpence. I hope he got a vote of thanks at the vestry. Then he had such entries as these: “Paid for 2 nights charges for a woman big with child yt had no settlement £00 00 10”: “Spent when I went with her before ye justice of peace to be examined and taking, her by a horse to Monyash £00 01 00”; “Spent when I returned a list of all those yt owd sute and serves to ye Lord of ye Mannor £00 01 00”; “Spent when I went with ye exciseman, 2 days, to William Woods to distrain £00 03 04”; “Paid for the stox in Quarnford Liberty £00 05 00.’, Altogether, worthy Constable Tumpson had a lively time of it. His spelling is sometimes very funny, but he was a wide awake man. It was in his accounts that the custom of writing superfluous cyphers in the amounts of expenses was altered into the more modern one. Instead of writing “£00 00 06” for 6d. he wrote “£0 0 6 ““ which was certainly an improvement. It occurs to me that he must have been far too busy a man to have time for surplusage of labour. No doubt he would be a farmer or some respectable tradesman, in addition to being constable for the year. All such as he in those days ere busy men. He was, a good manager, too, as he got through the full year’s business with a total expenditure of £6 18 0, but then he was lucky in having no Criminals to deal with. Those journeys to Stafford were serious affairs.
“John Goodwin served the said office for Samuel Phillips, blacksmith, of Alstonfield “ in 1744-45. The “press” system came into vogue in his day and he has a large number of interesting records. “Spent when I went to appress Aron Pickford, with 4 men, £0 0 6” Poor Pickford would have little chance against five burly men backed by the law. “Spent at Alstonfield at a many of men when I prest John Sheldon and William Allin £0 1 10” ‘Spent of 12 men in the flass when we went to appress several men £0 2 6.,’ Flash is still frequently called “Flass” in this neighbourhood and formerly was always so called. This fact somewhat confounds the theory that Flash got its name from the pedlars who formerly lived there, being “Flash” in their habits and coiners of base metal. That is by the way. “Spent of 2 men and myself when we apprest James Pickford £0 1 0’’; ‘‘Paid for meat and drink five days £0 2 6” “Paid for attending him 5 days of Pickford led to other matters, probably his giving a “hiding” to some of the limbs of, the law, who from the following entries seemed to have had their revenge: “Spent at Leek at a, justice sitting when he was committed to Stafford by 2 justices of peace £0 2 6” ; “paid for a horse for him to Leek £0 0 6” ; “Spent at Stafford and on the road of James Pickford and Thomas Brindley and, myself and 3 horses £0 8 0”; “Paid for the hire of 2 horses to Stafford £0 4 0.” The” pressing” business reads like records of days of sport. He writes of going a pressing as one might speak now of “going a shooting,” and no doubt it was fine sport for the pressers. These are examples showing the zeal of the Constable in his newly acquired capacity. “August 5th, Spent at the flass of 8 men when we went a pressing £0 1 8’; August 6th, Spent at Allstonefleld of 9 men when we went a pressing £0 1’ 4”; ‘ Spent at Upor Elkstone when I went a pressing with 8 men £0 1 2.” No doubt pressing, aided by a little army of willing assistants, was a far more exciting occupation than repairing bridges and improving roads of which practically nothing was done during this year.
To be continued...................
SATURDAY, MARCH 17th 1900
NOTES
ON THE
ANCIENT PARISH OF
A LSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING
EXTRACTS
FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676, &c.
By A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN.
Richard Gould was constable in 1745-6 for Bagshaw’s land at Lower Elkstone. He had, in addition to the usual routine of constable’s work, to deal with a sensational, and albeit sorrowful occurrence, he has a group of entries which tell their own tale. “July ye 30, paid for 2 messingers to fach the coroner £0 4 0;” “ Pd. ye coroner’s fees £0 13 4;’ “Pd. for faching 4 witnesses from Mill Dale £0 0 8;” “Pd. to the grace wife for searching the wimmin £0 2 6; “spent when 6 men went a serching the Liberties concerning a child found in the churchyard 2 £0 4 6;” “Pd. for meat and drink for 23 men being on the jury concerning ye child £1 6 6; “ “Pd. for a coffin for ye child £0 2, 6;” “Pd. to ye clark and saxtone for burying ye child £0 1 6.” He has varying sums, £2 2 0; £2 16 O and £2 5 6 “pd. to ye High Constable. By warrant” which considerably swelled his expenses on the parish.
John Goodwin, served the office in 1746-7 for ‘William Findlow, of Dunkesgrow. It is noticeable that for the past several years there had been no charge for the relief of vagrants but during Constable Goldstraw’s term of service there is this curious item, “Paid and allowed to Thomas Milward for a lame woman thatt was helplis, besides carrying her out of the County as a vagond, there being 2 men and. 2 horses £0 4 6.” It was also in this year that there is the first mention of diseases amongst cattle being dealt with by the local government of the day. The legislation was crude it is true, but it was the source of our present valuable methods for checking diseases in live stock. Here are two entries: “Oct, ye 20, for taking 4 sessions orders to ye Church and Chappils and causing them to be published concerning ye distemper amongst Horned Cattle £0 0 6;” “Oct. ye 18, pd. for writing warrants for to put down Leek fare by orders from ye justices of peace concerning ye distemper amongst horned Cattle £0 0 6” In this year the trouble about the Duchy rent was revived neither Mr. Alsope nor the inhabitants seeming willing to budge one iota from the relative positions they had taken up with regard to the matter and the dispute now began to assume an acute form again. The following records have reference to the subject: “May ye 8, Spt at the Hayesyate at a full vestry about the Duchy rent Demanded by Mr. Alsope from the parish of Alstonefield £0 4 6;” “ May 20; Spt. at Alstonfield when I met Mr. Fisher about ye Duchy rent £0 1 0;” May 21, Spt. at Ashborn when I went with Mr. Fisher to view the grant and give his oppinion about it £0 1 8.”
‘William Blackwall’ officiated in 1748 and is described as of Gatham. The efforts to deal with the distemper amongst horned stock were vigorous during this year and there are numerous entries referring to the matter. The following suggests that there was a keen lookout over three counties, presumably Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Cheshire, to check the spread of the disease “For my expences going to look for orders to stop the driving of horned cattle from three countys £0 1 8.” He also paid a great deal of attention to the bridges and roads which had been apparently neglected for some years and he was pretty liberal in the way he spent money to get a job done well. Amongst others he” Pd. for a Guide post in Holesclough liberty £0 12 6,” and charges “For shoeing my mare £0 5.0.” Other constables had charged for shoeing their horses but none before for shoeing a mare. Constable Blackwell had a fine faculty for distinction.
James Ball, of Ferneyford, held the office in 1749 and his accounts are tame in the extreme barring one or two items. He spent considerable moneys on the bridges again and repaired Longnor stocks; which must have had some rough customers in them to get out of repair so often. He has the following series of entries which are eloquent in the indication that the inhabitants were beaten after all in the matter of the duchy rent. A brave stand was made and much expense incurred with the result that they got off with paying as usual: “Spent at Joseph Bassett’s £0 1 0 ;“ “For this day’s expences £0 10 0;” “for paying ye Dutchy money £0 1 0.” There is a good deal of dry humour in the way he spells “duchy.’ I dare say the freeholders felt it was a bit of “Dutch” and were probably’ “ as done as Kruger.” .
”George Robinson of Boresgrave” was elected in 1750. He kept up the custom which had never yet been let drop, of paying for a drink round in honour of his footing and charged the cost to the inhabitants who drank it. Generous man! He gave them a drink at their own expense. He had a busy time although there was no occurrence of an exciting nature, He has no less than twenty-two entries of expenses for sending various warrants. He treated the good folk at Warslow to a “new pare of stocks” which cost 13s. 5d. He charged 1s, “for paying ye Dutchey money; “Pd. to a dum man” 1s. Gd. (I thought it was something about dum-dum bullets when my eye first met the record, but it was only a man which is not much in South Africa) and he “Spent when I went with John Smith to Bosley of myself, a men, and three horses £0 2 0.” What the three men went to Bosley for there is not the slightest indication.
Thomas Rawlins was the Constable in 1751-50. His records are chiefly remarkable for the very amusing manner he had of spelling, and to shew which I will quote a few items: “Paid to 3 selers yt come with a pass £0 1 0.” “Pd for viewing picking hole brigg £0 1 0.” “Pd. for fixing orders upon ye Carch and Chapil Door consarning ye Destemper among ye horned Catell £0 0 6.” “Pd. to a dom man £0 0 6.” “Paid for ye pinfould gate at Warslow £0 4 11d’.
[to be continued]
NOTES
ON THE
ANCIENT PARISH OF
A LSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING
EXTRACTS
FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676, &c.
ARTICLE VIII
JAMES PLANT, of Mill Dam, acted as Constable in 1751 and had a case to deal with that must have caused great excitement in the parish. The following group of entries are tame enough reading but it does not require any very live!y imagination to picture the old-time official face to face with a duty which would have no attractions. It is a pity that the records are not more explicit, but considering the custom of the period and the clearness which has been shewn in the expression of these occurrences I do not think we can really complain. “Paid to ye Coroner on his inquest on Daniel Redfern, £0 13s. lOd.”; “Spent when I fetched him and he was gone to ye justice £0 2s. Od.”; “Spent for summoning ye jury on yt. account £0 Os. 6d”; “Spent on account of ye jury dinner and drink £0 Os. Od.” Spent when I summon in ye witnesses and went to Flash £0 1s. 8d.”;
“Paid to Dr. Grosvenor for Desecting the body of Daniel Redfern £1 0s. 0d.” By dissecting the Constable probably meant the mere post-mortem examination undertaken to secure evidence of cause of death. I am sorry I cannot learn anything about this tragic end of Daniel Redfern. Can any of my readers help me? It is worthy of note that in this year Flash is spelled “Flash” in these records for the first time. It had always previously been spelled Flass” or “Flas.” Little else of an unusual character occurred in Constable Plant’s period of office. He varies the spelling in other instances besides that of Flash, but not always does he change it for the better. He has “For as viewing Glutton and Longnor bridge £0 1s 0d” ‘For paying in ye Duchy money £0 1s. 0d.” “&e.
There is a very curious endorsement at the foot of his accounts. “Examined and approved by us 8th ye 10 anno 1752, new style.” Then follows a list of signatures of inhabitants.
Richard Gould, of Brownhill, was Constable in 1752-3 and “served the office for a tenement or farm called Upper Brownhill, in the Liberty of Warslow.” His work was of a routine character and there is little of special interest in his accounts. He has five separate items of expense for ale and ale and dinner. Other Constables before him charged for ale only once, viz. at the footing so he may be credited with the establishment of a new precedent in the matter of the refreshment charged for. Surely five drinks in the length of a year were not too many for the travelling involved. He spent at Croth Coat (now known as Crowdecote) when he agreed with the masons to support ye bridge £0 :1: 0.” “For repairing ye stocks at Warslow £0 6 8.” he finished with a balance in hand of £4 4 4. One can only imagine that his motto was Never do to today what can be done tomorrow.
‘Thomas Heath, of Stanshope, constable ye parish of Alstonefield for part of ye year 1753 and part of ye year 1754 who served ye office for Burch farm is the heading over the next constable’s accounts. He kept up the custom established by the late constable of charging for dinners and ale and he had frequent feasts at the expense of the parish he served honourably. He “pd. to a carpinter yt was not in ye last accounts £0 0 2’.” His spelling is almost as bad as this all through. His style was not the ancient form but was down-right illiteracy. Other illustrations of thin may be seen in the following literal quotations “Pd. for repareing burnt mill bridge and lime £0 0 6.” “Pd. for Glutton Brigg and lime £0 2 0.” Pd. for repares of Tearsath bridg and overhom £0 3 6.” It generally requires a little perception to guess the meaning of these records but more than a little is required to realize that the constable by ‘‘Tearsath” referred to ‘Tittesworth” and by Overhom” he meant “Upperhulme.” The phonetics of the words are the only real assistance and happily they are extremely useful. Tittesworth is still called Tearsath” and Upperhulme “Overhom” by our old hill country folk. “For repareing Longnor £0:1: 0” is very ambiguous and shows that however clever Constable Heath was as a phonetic longhand writer he was not very particular in his accounts. That he had considerable skill in phonetics is shown further by his concluding line Examined and prooved By us.”
John Edge, of Low farm was in office in 1754 and 1755, and did some good work. He was very profuse in the expense of money in refreshing himself and took full advantage of the precedent set him in this respect by the recent Constables. He not only charged for his ‘foot’ ale” when he came into office but the same day charged ‘for two quarts of ale at Newgate £0 0 8” extra. There must have been a great stir at Warslow one day for he has “For whiping ye same Elizabeth Sterndale and Hannah Fowler at Warslow stocks £0 2 6.”
That seems to have been the reward of the men who had the temerity to flog the women in the stocks at the Constable’s order. He would well deserve half a crown to be so near the ear—splitting screams that would doubtless be provoked by his unmanly lashes. Besides he could certainly have made life—long enemies of the ladies, when venom would be to him greater than the gratitude of their husbands.
His active year’s work entailed an expense of £35:18:5.
To be continued............
NOTES
ON THE
ANCIENT PARISH OF
A LSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING
EXTRACTS
FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676, &c.
ARTICLE IX.
John Goodwin, for Thomas Robinson, of Heathelee, was the constable of the parish in 1755-56. He writes ‘Pd. to John Plant for whipping a woman at Warslow for stealing £0 2 3.” From this it would appear that the task of whipping a woman deserved very handsome pay. Indeed it was hard to get a man to undertake the job. Many men were to be had who would do a hard day’s work on the roads or bridges for a shilling but half-a-crown had in to be paid to induce a man to spend a few minutes in whipping a woman. I warrant it was no pleasant job, and the man would be a marked man in the parish ever afterwards. But this is not the only instance of whipping recorded by Constable Goodwin. He enters “Pd. to Bartholem Massey part of his charge for setting John Hand in ye stox and causing him whipt for stealing according to ye order of ye justice £0 2 6.” The question arises who paid the remainder of Massey’s charge?“ and “what was he paid in total for this public service?” I can imagine that John Hand did not submit to the ignominy of a seat in the stocks and a whipping before a gaping crowd quietly and no doubt Massey would require numerous assistants for the work. His monetary reward was probably not all he received. He more likely carried on his body for many a day painful reminders of the ugliness of his work. The Warslow men were then, as now, strong of wind and limb and would take some holding before the stocks were fast round their limbs. This Constable had some curious entries anent the roads which seemed to be an everlasting source of anxiety and expense “Pd. for repairing Black Brook bridge £0 11 0”; 4 “Pd. for repareing a bridge that stands betwixt Overhoom and Broncot Land towards Blackshaw more end £0 4 0 “; “Pd. for one halfe of ye charge for taking down and rebuilding up a horse stone bridge over ye River Dane near Quarnford on Macclesfield rode £3 12 6” This was one of the most costly undertakings yet noticed in the way of bridge engineering. Further he writes, “Pd. halfe of ye charge for making a band to uphold ye bridge and keeping it in good repair for seven years £0 1 9.” There is a vast difference between this job extending over seven years for 1s 9d and whipping a woman for 2s.6d. There were more men willing to undertake former than the latter. Another entry “Spent at three several times of myself two or three more every time when ye bridge was barging for to be built up again and money paid £0 5 8.” This would be about 4s each per day. Our present day road survey would have a fit if that rate of payment was suggested to them.
Thomas Rawlins, of Hill farm Alstonefield was in office 1756-57, and his accounts are to be noticed if only by reason of his most wretched writing and the inexplicit way had for making his entries. He writes, “3 for spent for myselfe and several men, 3 days and I night, when I touke John Billings and Joseph Moss, pade for mate and drink for these two men 15 days and a man to look after them £1 0 6. There was a good bit of trouble through John Billing and Joseph Moss but what it was about we can only guess unless a later entry in the same year explains it. This refers to the custom of pressing men and maybe Billing and Moss were pressed, as probably was the case. I can understand that they did not leave their beloved hill country and all its attractions of work, simple home-life and vivid superstitions without a struggle. I guess that they were beaten however at the end of the fifteen days resistance. The Law was too strong even in those days and all individuals, no matter how stubborn, had ultimately to submit. The later entry I have mentioned read “Spent when I touke these men into Leek, men and 3 horses £0 6 0”; and he adds, “For writing warrants to prasmen £0 0 6.” The other entries bearing, I think, the same construction, viz., ‘Writing warrants to take prased men £0 0 6”; “Goeing to Leek about those men £0 1 8” Spent when I went Leek for William Fowler, 3 men and myself £0 2 0 “Spent when I touke in 3 prased men to Leek and keeping them and their horse in Leek £0 19 0”; Spent when I took The Sixes a second time to Leek of the men of the Parish £01 8”; “Pd. for writing warrants to take in prased men £0 0 6.” Cons Rawlins had a very busy year and his accounts contain other interesting items which I told over until next week or the editor of Post” will be asking me whether I want to take up all the space in his paper.
[To be continued.]
ON THE
ANCIENT PARISH OF
A LSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING
EXTRACTS
FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676, &c.
By A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN.
Thomas Rawlins, whose accounts I left not completely noticed in my last week’s article, has further interesting entries from his year’s record, and I venture to quote the following, which although they have the vagueness characteristic of the period are at least curious as showing how varied was the work of these constables a century and a half ago. “Spent when I went to Bakewell twice about Grace Knowes £0 2. 7d ‘Pade a man for goeing to Bakewell £0 1 6d. ‘My charges to Stafford 2 days and 1 night £0 5 2” ‘Pd. two wimen for laying her out £0 2 0” ; Ye crowner (coroner) charges £0 5 0”; For 13 jurymen meat and drink £0 13 4.” This group of entries evidently refers to some tragedy which occurred, resulting in the death of’ Grace Knowles and an enquiry by the coroner and 13 good men for a jury and a visit to Stafford by the Constable. This constable paid numerous sums for dinner and ale which by now had become to be recognised as an item of ls.8d., which was quite sufficient to provide an expensive repast in these days. Succeeding constables were quite agreeable to spend just the same sum, and this they did with surprising frequency. In the case of Constable Rawlins I think his work quite demanded it. He has a number of items which shew that a receipt for cash cost the parish 4d., and when he paid sums of money away he charged for the receipt. Was the receipt then given by the payor and not by the payee as now? “4 recets £0 1 4”; “Pade ye High Constable £12 5 0” 4 recets £0 1 4” are amongst his entries. Occasionally he recorded a transaction with great regard for detail, as for instance the repairing of ‘Woskat Brig” is entered by the following series of entries, “4 Oct., pade to Edward Wodas (probably the ancient form of the modern name Woodisse) for wood and work at Worskat Brigg £4 10 1” pade Abel Doughty for 28 Cramps for Longnor Bridge. 31 pounds. 4d. pound £0 10 4; pade Thomas Shaldon for stone for Worsket brig £ 0 1 0 0d: for a horse to lead it to ye brig and a man to help him £0 2 0: pade for lodeing stone from Sheen hill to Worsket Brigg £0 14 0 Blacksmith bill plates and nales Worsket Brig £0 2 9; Spent when I viewed ye briges £0 2 0d this day’s expenses £0 10 0.” The work done in repairing Longnor and Blackbrook bridges on the other hand is charged in one lump sum, viz., “Pade Ben. Nailer for repareing Longnor and Blackbrook Bridges £1 4 2 The accounts of this constable it will be seen are unusually interesting. This is one of his strange entries, “Spent when I went before Mr. Armitt about ye second List and lay out two days and one night and treated several head-brows £0 4 0” Can any reader tell me what is the meaning of this?
The next record is a picture of neat penmanship and would be a credit to any clerk of this day. The constable in office (1754 to 58) was William Wood, Buttonman, who served the office for his tenement at Colshaw. The description of the next constable at once calls for comment. I think it is the first instance I have met with where the trade or occupation of the constable has been entered at the beginning of the accounts. He was a Buttonman. I take it that he made buttons much in the some manner that hundreds of farmer’s and labourer’ s wives and daughters did in the hill country a quarter of a century ago fetching their wood buttons and silk to cover them from various mills in the town of Leek. Not much of this work is done now but formerly the women used to walk many miles to Leek to fetch a bit of buttoning and when done —and well done too— in the lonely cottages on the bleak hills around Longnor, they trudged to Leek again, and, having drawn their reward, spent it in a load of food, mainly meal which they carried home with another lot of buttoning. I have seen an old lady who is now about eighty five years old and is still an industrious button maker whose eyesight has been much impaired for years turning finished buttons out with striking neatness and beauty of finish at a really marvellous rate. Many a fortune has been made for Leek men by these hill-country button-makers . Constable Wood was a “Button-man” and I am much surprised to learn that the gentle art I have described was practised by the stronger sex 150 years ago in Alstonefield.
(To be continued)
NOTES ON THE ANCIENT PARISH OF ALSTONEFIELD.
EXTRACTS FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676, &C.
BY A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN.
William Wood, the button man whose accounts I left unnoticed last week had a lively time during his year of Office. He had the experience of dealing with a body found drowned. This had occurred so frequently in late years that it was regarded no longer as unusual. He is very business-like in his entries relating to the matter. Expenses for searching the body of Elizabeth Brocklehurst when she was drowned £0 2 0”; “Pd. 2 women for laying her out £0 2 0”; “My journey and expenses to Stafford for ye coroner £0 8 6 ‘ ; Pd. to ye coroner £0 13 0”; &c., &c. He has numerous records relative to pressing in which he seems to have been very diligent and had a sharp eye to a suitable capture. Expense of myself and two assistants when I went to have impressed a Strouling Dancing Master at the Heys Gate £0 3 6.,’ The dancing master met with a warm reception at Heys Gate and I can imagine that he entertained some warm feelings towards those in whose land he was a stranger and who took him in. Spent when I impressed Tho. Belfield £0 3 0”; Expenses in searching several times after some idle stroulers in the Liberty of Upper Elkstoue £0 2 6”; He, however appears to have oversteppcd the bounds of his legal authority on one occasion and he had to appear before a magistrate to answer to what I should judge would be a charge against him. He has these entries, “Charges of myself and eleven witnesses which I took to Leek when I went to justify myself in the doing of my office about impressing one Holmes, £0 13 7 ½ ”; A journey to Mr. Armet on the above account £0 1 0” “Examination and warrant concerning Holmes £0 1 6.” This was a narrow squeak for the Constable, who required the assistance of eleven witnesses to balance the testimony of the solitary Holmes. One can well imagine the limb of the law getting the benefit of the doubt. How could Holmes hope to escape when: he had the audacity to challenge the lawfulness of the officer of the law? Amongst other interesting items are: “Expenses of an assessor and myself when I went to Leek about instructions for assessing ye windows £0 3 4”; “For paying ye Dutchey rent £0 1 0”; and then there is an item which refers to the largest contract for work that I have yet met with, viz., Pd. Benjn. Mellor as per bill for the repairs of ye stone brest work which leads to water under Longnor bridge and secures ye foundation of it £3 11 2.”
William Plant was in office in 1758-59 for Mr. Fynney of Onecote for his farm in Warslow called Pump farm.” The year was an uneventful one and I think there are only three entries that I need quote. Viz. “Spent at Longnor with serving the body of George Belfield as prisoner £0 3 6”; Spent with serving the body of Joseph — (no name is entered) with a warrant for stealth £0 2 6’ ; and “Pd. to Henry Wood for removing George Wheildon who came to Alstonefleld by a regular pass £0 1. 8.” I suppose George Whieldon was chucked out of the parish not having on a wedding garment in the shape of a proper pass. “A regular pass” was not good enough for some reason. These old gentlemen made no bones about doing an unpleasant duty. It only had to be done and it soon was done and with a will too.
Thomas Hase, served the parish in 1759-60 for his farm at Hope. Very little was done again in this year and the Constables most numerous entries are for dinner ale and other refreshments. One William Allen was at this time making a pretty good thing out of the funds. He was paid in this year For ye sessing of ye land tax £1 10 0” ; and on several occasions he was paid substantial sums for sessing various taxes. The Constable ‘Pd. for a guide stop to Thomas Hine, Headborow £1 4 0.” otherwise his accounts do not call for comment. Thomas Hase acted again. in the following year for ‘Thomas Chapman of Langnor,” but his records do not contain any item of interest.
John Goodwin was the Constable in 1761-62 “for his own farm at Fawfieldhead.” He has a number of exceedingly quaint entries relating to the repairs of bridges and I shall venture to quote several of them. ‘Spent when I went to view a bridge between Broncot and Blackshaw Moor £1 0 10. Spent when I got men to repair the bridge between Broncoat and Blackshaw Moor £0 1 0; “Pd. for repairing that Bridge at Blackshaw Moor £0 8 0” ; “August 17th. Spent at a vestry meeting when ye Piginhole Bridge was bargained for to be made of stone for a horse bridge 5s.” ‘Spent when I got two menn to repair two bridges at Broncot Smithy ye other on ye side of Broncot Cliffe £0 1 0 Pd. for repareing those bridges. Ye one was quite down £0 14 6”; “Oct. 3, Pd for 2 guide posts in ye township of Quarnford by a bill to John Brown and Thomas Smith his executor should have been paid ye year before £2 5 3 ½ “ Then there is yet the largest sum paid for work of any kind, viz.. Paid to Benjamin Mellor for making a new stone bridge at Piginhole a yard wide within the battlings to carry horses aver £12 12 0.” This was a great improvement over the bridge previously in use there and yet how insignificant it was compared with the excellent stone arch bridge now over the river at Pig-in-the-hole, fit for all kinds or heavy traffic and capable of carrying a procession of traction engines. ‘Spent when I vewed the rest of the bridges and got them repaired £O 1 0.” This was dealing with them in a sweeping manner and the Constable was above bit clever to repair all the rest for a shilling. The next item is scarcely harmonious;. Given towards repairing a stone foot bridge leading betwixt Lower Elkstone and Upper Upper Elkstone £0 5 0”. A very strange entry of this Constable is, “May 26, spent at the Cock in Leek of the Assessors and their horses £1 10 0.
John Spencer served as Constable for the year 1762-1763. It is curious to note that he reverted to the custom of keeping accounts by surplus cyphers. For instance he has. ‘Pd. writing warrants to pay the land and window tax £00 01 00.’ He has a very curious style of expressing the events of the parish business, too. “May 26, pade to Mr. Davison at the Cock of the Sessors of the windows 15 men £01 04 06”; “Pd. for fifteen horses £00 02 00. He has a great number of entries in relation to repairs to the bridges, but I need not quote any of them as I have noticed similar entries above.
TO BE CONTINUED……..
NOTES
ON THE
ANCIENT PARISH OF
ALSTONEFIELD.
comprising
EXTRACTS
FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676 &c.
BY A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN
Before commencing my usual article this week I take the opportunity of thanking “Moorlander” for his letter, which appeared in last week’s “Post” upon the origin of the Duchy rent. His explanation is a very valuable one, and I have no doubt it will have proved extremely instructive to many of your readers on and over Morridge, who have had great difficulty in grasping the meaning of the rent which led to so much friction in the old days I am discussing. If “Moorlander” has any documents relating to the parish of Alstonfield I can assure him that their publication in the ‘Post” will prove of interest to the present parishioners.
John Goodwin acted as Constable in 1763-64 serving the office for William Bullock, of Nabfoot. The quaint manner in which he made his entries is very amusing. He has one or two items for work done which will indicate what a day’s work was worth in 1763 when food and clothing were comparatively dear and many present-day luxuries unknown. He writes, “Pd. for getting and laying down the steps at Piginhole three men and a team one day £0 7 0”; “Pd. for getting and laying steps at Blackbruck to 5 men and for a team to lead them one Day £0 11 8.” The work could not be done today for four times the money. Other interesting items as to the bridge at Piginhole .&c. are, “Pd. to Samuel Kidd for laying the steps at the Piginhole the 2 time being drown away by the ffloods £0 2 8.” This seems as if Samuel Kidd’s bill was much reduced—really from 7s. to 2s. 8d.—for the second job because he had allowed the “ffloods to drown his first work away. “Pd. for re pairing ye gide post was falening in peeses and part was taken away at ye top of Morrag £0 1 0.” That is a big mix-up for a shilling. A piece of work which was done at a reasonable cost is referred to thus, “Pd. for getting and leading 3 stocks for gides and setting on Hollinsclough more on ye road £0 3 6.” Another very curious entry by this Constable is the following, “Pd. for an examination and a pass and a Reseat for Charles Shropshire living in ye parish of Ashle in Staffordshire £0 2 0.’, Still another is, “Pd. for writing warrants for ye day of appeal for the windows and fixing on the Church and 4 Chappil Doors £0 2 6.” This might be understood to mean that there were in the parish one church and four chapels, but there were many more of both in 1763. Altogether John Goodwin managed to present the accounts on behalf of William Bullock in a very complicated and ambiguous manner. This is not so much to be wondered at when in the accounts for the year there is entered the following resolution, which will not evoke much commendation for clearness of expression. “November the 4, 1765. Whereas it has been heretofore usual for the charges of the Parish to expend one pound as passing the accounts, we, therefore, whose names are hereunto subscribed do consent and agree that the like sum of one pound shall be expended annually at that time for the future, and to reduce the expences at Leek at the assessing of the Land and Window tax not to exceed £1 5 0.”
William Grindon was in office in 1764-63 “for his own land in Lower Elkstone.” His records do not call for much comment, but the following few quotations will indicate his whims of spelling. “Spet when I vewed the bridge at Broncotcliff £0 1 0” “Spet of 9 men and me self at Benjeman Brunt at Over Humb concerning laying up the bridge at broncotcliff £0 7 8”; “Pad to fore men that strept to gow in the water £0 2 6”; “Spent at the Cock in Leek of the oul Collectors on receiving there charge and apintments £1 3 8.” He succeeded in making himself perfectly understood and at the same time provided no little amusement by his word building abilities. Some of his words ought to be patented.
Thomas Bonsall was the Constable in 1765-6. He has three entries of “Fixing notices 1 on the church and 4 chapel doors £0 2 6” and I think on reflection this may be taken to refer to the parish church of Alstonefleld and the four chapels of ease of Warslow, Sheen, Longnor, and Flash, now known as the churches of those places respectively. There is a great contrast between the number of places of worship now and then. I was on Sheen hill the other evening when the air after one of the storms which have characterised the present Easter had passed, and the air was wonderfully clear, and one could see from that position with the naked eye the churches of Hartington, Biggin, Sheen, Warslow, Grindon Butterton and Longnor, Hollinsclough, Flash, Newtown, and Reapsmoor, besides about a dozen little nonconformist chapels. On two occasions this Constable “paid for a receipt £0 1 6.” It seemed from a recent year’s accounts that receipts cost ls.4d., but in the year under notice they were charged ls. 6d.
An entry which certainly does not explain itself is “My expenses to Leek when the meeting was put off £0 1 8.” There is no reference in the context to any meeting at all beyond that isolated charge. I have been much struck lately by noticing in the district that the same family names and the same names of farm homesteads are practically now just what they were one hundred and fifty or two hundred years ago. It is almost general and there appears to have been remarkably few immigrants into the district during that time. The Constable in this year has an item “Repairing the Guide post at Noon Sun £0 1 0,” which has revived my impression. “Noon Sun” is as well known today as it was those four generations ago. This Constable had to arrange an inquest and he records it thus, “My charge concerning J. Wheeldon: Fetching the Coroner £0 19 0; 13 jurymen and two witnesses l5s. ; funeral expenses 17s.; shoeing my horse 5s.”
Abel Doughty was elected at Michaelmas, 1766, and “served for his farm at Bank “ His accounts are written in a very large bold hand and extending over four times as many pages as usual. His spelling is as quaint as any of the Constables, a fact which a single quotation will show: Sp. for going to Ouerhule to vew bridg £0 1 0.” He has two items which no doubt represented an awful amount of work for him. “Spent at siting when I received ye warrant for collecting ye Mallisia money and giving notice to ye Head Barows and going 4 days £0 2 0” and “Sp. at Heasegate when I received ye Millisie money £0 11 6.’, The latter is an extraordinary sum to have spent at a meeting to collect one of the numerous taxes of the day and one can only assume that the Constable had to be very open handed to get the parishioners in a good humour. He has a very funny little entry as follows, ‘Pd. to a tornpicks £0 0 2.”
William Lomas served the office “for his farm at Quarnford” in 1767-68. Instead of the usual first item of “Pd. for foot ale £0 1 0,’ he has a unique entry, “I gave ye merry men as custom £0 1 0.” This no doubt means the same thing but it is a very delicate way of putting it. He had, too, a keen appreciation of the comforts of refreshment for he charged freely for dinner and ale for himself. He “Spent when he received ye Milesha money £0 11 0” and in doing so was no doubt influenced by the same necessity of keeping the payors in good temper. And he had cause to get on the right side of them seeing that he collected no less than £48 6 31 in that scattered parish. He has some curious little items although there was nothing of unusual importance in the year’s work. He “pd. a meshongor to Longnor to give Benjm. Mellor notice £4 -0- 4-” ; ‘-Pd. to George Heapy for a pair of stocks £ 0 10 6’ ; “Pd. to Daniel Bradbury for a pair of stocks £0 9 4” ; “Pd. to Benjamen Mellor for uphoulding Piginhole bridge £0 4 6.
To be continued...........
NOTES
ON THE
ANCIENT PARISH OF
ALSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING
EXTRACTS
FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676, &c.
By A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN.
John Gibbs served the office of Constable in 1768-69. His accounts are of a particularly tame nature. Entries like the following are his most interesting: “Given to Benjm. Mellor at ye last Constable’s accounts by ye consent of ye people then present £1 1 0”; “Also to Ralph Wood as aforesaid £0 4 0”; “also to Thomas Phillips same time £0 4 0”; “Given to a man who had a pass £0 1 0;” “To Benjm. I Mellor for upholding Piginhole Bridge £0 4 6.” Pigginhole bridge was a sort of chronic canker on the funds of the parish and I can well imagine some of the parishioners had a jealous feeling at the amount of money that was continuously spent in “upholding” it.
John Wain, of Longnor, served the office in 1769-70. He also on several occasions “Pd. to a man with a pass £0 1 0.” This was a payment that the parish meeting was not slow to condemn for at the conclusion of his accounts there is endorsed the following resolution:“Nov. ye 7th, 1771. It is this day agreed that no Constable hereafter for the future shall pay any money to any vagrant that comes to them but shall receive them if they come by a regular pass and carry them forward to the next officer in the next District or County for which trouble they are to be paid by the High Constable according as the law directs.” This was signed by thirteen—strange number—of the parishioners present. This Constable continued to collect the Militia money and records his transaction thus: “For writing warrants to collect the Militia and Delivering ought the same £0 2 0”; “Spent when I received Militia money £0 9 0.” The taxpayers were evidently becoming more resigned to the tax and it needed the expense of less money to “sweeten’ them. He has a very interesting group of entries in relation to the setting up of new stocks at Longnor. These appear to have been of a substantial and gaudy character. The timber was heavy and ample and no less than 2s. was spent in paint to make the man proud who should occupy them. He records: “Pd. for 8 foot and a half of Dale planks for Longnor stocks £0 3 6”; “For stoops and Rales to John Oakes for Longnor stocks £0 7 10” ;“ Pd. for hinges and screws and nales to Abel Doughty for Longnor stocks £0 11 10”; “Pd. to David Raboins for making Longnor stocks £0 10 6”; “Pd. for paint for Longnor stocks £0 2 0”; “Pd. to Thomas Phillips for putting the stocks down £0 1 0.” Pigginhole bridge is in evidence once more as this Constable “Pd. to Widow Mellor for upholding Piginhol Bridge £O 4 6’. I suppose Benjmn Mellor upheld it until he died when his widow gallantly tackled the job which was rewarded by the magnificent sum of £0 4 6 per annum—a penny a week—and which was probably a post which aroused the envy of the parish.
Christopher Wain, of Thickwithins in the township of Heathylee, served as Constable in 1770-7l. He has the following striking note as preface to his records: ‘Christopher Wain who charges himself with 25 lunes but Warslow and Lower Elkstone refuse to pay 17 lune and a half upon the account of the Militia which is the remaining part of these lunes. Beyond this his accounts reveal nothing new. He “Pd. for shifting a par of stocks in Holinsclough and a new lock £0 3 8”; and he kept up the custom of paying cash to vagrants in spite of the resolution I have quoted, for he records “Pd. to a man with a pass £0 2 0” &c., &c. At the end of his year’s accounts the following resolution, which will explain itself is endorsed: “November ye 12th, 1772. At the passing of ye Constable’s accounts it was this day ordered ye Constable of Alstonefield and the Constable of Sheen shall appoint day and place sometime in the month of May next to lett the erecting of the bridge late fallen down upon the river Manifold betwix Haisegate and Sheen, that the same may be rebuilt at the joint expense of each parish. At this meeting both “parishes” were represented for the resolution is signed by Neigh Kidd constable of Alstonefield; John Wardle, constable of Sheen, and by ten gentlemen as in habitants of Alstonefield and by four gentlemen as inhabitants of Sheen.
Hall White discharged the duties of the office in 1771-72. His entries do not contain much that I have not noticed before. Many of the Constables engaged a “ writer” to keep the parish accounts and he was paid for his work out of the funds. This Constable has a number of entries illustrating to what extent this was done, as for instance: “For writing a fresh leaf £0 2 0 ;“ “For writing and keeping my accounts £0 5 0 “ “For writing them into the book £0 3 0.”
Hugh Kidd acted in 1772-73 “for his farm at Foxlees.” He revived the custom of making gifts to vagrants and has numerous entries of these items. There was evidently a very exciting time at Longnor during this year if one may judge from the quantity of ale drunk at a vestry at the expense of the parish. The Constable has two items: “Mar. ye 7th, pd. for writing notes for ye vestry £0 1s. Od. ; and “Pd. for ale at the vestry at Longnor £0 14 0.” This was exactly fourteen times the quantity drunk at the yearly footing of the new Constable, and in fact represented enough ale to make every man in the Longnor quarter helplessly drunk. Times have certainly changed since that day. What the meeting was about there is nothing to indicate unless it be the next item: “Pd. for writing to Mr. John Green £0 2 6.” This item is as extravagant as that for ale. But perhaps the letter was written by a lawyer on the instruction at the vestry in which case it must be passed as reasonable. This Constable spent For repairs to Alstonefield stocks £0 6 8 ;“ “ Pd. To Thomas Phillips for making half a bridge at Hulme End £1 17 0.” It is to be assumed that someone else made the other half or what is more probable, that the whole bridge was made by Phillips, whose bill was Paid equally by the authorities whose two parishes were divided by the Manifold. That part of Staffordshire between the Manifold and the Dove between Hulme End and Hartington appears to have been controlled by a Derbyshire authority for generations. Another curious item by Constable Kidd is “Pd. to John Hall for pulling stone out of the brook £0 2 6.” Whatever else this Constable was he was not stinty in his mode of payment. He also “Pd. to the officer for Hollinsclough for the expense concerning the funeral of John Cope, who, was starved to death. £1 11 0.”
“James Grindon served the office for his farm, called Cross farm, in Warslow, from Michaelmas 1771 to Michaelmas 1774.” In his year of office the annual charges had risen by gradual stages to £01 16 5. Some ten years earlier they were only £9. He Pd. for erecting a new pair of stocks in Warslow as by bills £2 7 3;” paid “Expences concerning ye stocks at Alstonefield £0 1 6.” For a view of bridge at Birches in the water he charged £0 1 0,;” and “ Pd. to James Kirkham for repairs there of £0 1 2.” He has a most curious entry at the close of his accounts as follows: “Expenses concerning journeys and serving warrants upon persons inform’d against for destroying Sir Henry’s Game. This allowed by order of Mr. Greaves to be put into the Constable’s accounts But it is to be observed that nothing of this kind is to be allowed in any accounts hereafter £0 18 8.” This in my opinion is an illustration of what power one man might exercise in those so-called “good old days.” If Mr. Greaves had “ordered “in that way in later days I venture to think the vestry would have asked the Constable to pay the money out of his own pocket as an object lesson to take his orders from the proper authority in future. Evidently there was no system of “surcharging” then. But the Constable’s action was sort of half confirmed by the resolution passed by the vestry in that year, expressed in the following clever language:. “November ye 9th, 1775. Whereas it bath been heretofore allowed by order that all reasonable expenses shall he allow’d for those who prosecute Felons to Conviction. It is this day agreed by us whose names are hereunder written, that the former order shall be continued and confirmed, and that any reasonable expence which any Inhabitant within the parish is put to, in carrying on a prosecution against any Felon, the said expence if reasonable is to be allowed in the Constable’s accounts, and paid by the parish in general. Witness, &c.” This was signed by twenty three persons. The parishioners had evidently the good sense to see what was good for one was good for all.
(TO BE CONTINUED).
N 0 TE S
ON THE
ANCIENT PARISH OF
ALSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING
E X T R A C T S
FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676. &c.
By A LONGN0R ANTIQUARIAN
.John Adams was the Constable of the parish in 1774-75, serving for his farm at Alstonefield, called Booth’s farm. His accounts do not contain any very startling records but he had a busy year’s work, and made his entries with great clearness. “Expences concerning Wm. Gee being apprehended within our parish by virtue of a warrant granted by Justice Milns, of Cromford, and there carried before the said justice for Robbing near the East Moore, £1 16 9,” is a specimen of his style. He had to deal with the tragic death of Isaac Billinge, and records his expenses in a neat series of, entries: “Expences in going to Stafford to fetch ye Coroner to view ye body of Isaac Billinge who hanged himself £0 610”; A man s assistance in laying him out and to Hannah Ball her assistance £0 2 0”; ‘Spent on ye Jurymen £0 10 0”; &c. Quarnford Stocks were repaired by George Heapy at an expense of 2s. 6d., including 6d. for a new lock, and Alstonfield Stocks were repaired at a cost of 5s. There was a special vestry meeting held at Longnor with regard to the Militia money, and the Constable charged a shilling for his ‘cxpenses concerning” it.
Joseph Hurdsfield held the office in 1775-76 for his farm at Hollinsclough called the Black Bank. He collected for the purposes of the parish no less a sum than £106 12 2. This was a very large sum compared with £9 which was sufficient twenty or thirty years earlier. He “paid for 12 warrants concerning ye Militia money being raised £0 12 0”; “Expenses for going about the same 6 days £0 9 3,” and he incurred “Expenses at a meeting at Longnor concerning ye Militia Money £0 5 6.” He has a very large number of other entries on account of the rasing of the Militia tax which must have proved an awful business to him and caused him to travel the wide parish through and through. Ultimately he raised the money which was “lotted” by some system which is not revealed by the accounts, and “Pd. the high Constable Militia money £48 4 9.” Some of his entries are quaintly constructed: “Going to Leek when the Militia money should have been paid in dinner and ale £0 1 6”; “Pd. for 13 warrants when the Militia money was lotted £0 6 6”; “For serving the lotted Militia men £0 2 0.” After the Militia money hod been paid he devoted a good deal of time to the bridges and roads and did other useful work. He “Pd. to Longnor Head Borough concerning taking George Wheeldon for felony
£3 1 32’ This seems an enormous sum to be incurred in arresting a felon but it seems to have passed the meeting without comment.
Joseph Salt, officiated in 1776-77, for his land in Heathylee called Swainsmoor. His accounts arc very similar to the last named Constable’s. He had much the same trouble about the Militia. He has two items of writing notices for the Militia to be embodied. He also paid a very large sum, recorded as follows: “Sep. 9. Pd. John Willshaw for taking Nadin £3 5 0.” He has seine interesting entries relative to Brund Mill Bridge: “Spent at Longnor at a Vestry when Brund Mill Bridge was let to be rebuilt £0 3 4”; “Pd. Thomas Phillips for earnest £0 1 0.” “ Earnest” is a very old term which has been generally superseded but by no means improved. “Aug. 26. Spent at Longnor at a Vestry when the Inhabitants of this parish and Sheen parish met concerning Brund Mill bridge £0 3 4.”
William Mellor was appointed in 1777 for his land in Hope called Froggatt Land.
Nadin, whoever he was, certainly was an expensive element in the parish. In this year the Constable “paid to James Chadwick concerning Nadin £1 1 0,” and “Pd. to John Gould concerning Nadin £9 9 0.” The Militia was again an intensely interesting matter in the parish and the Constable had three futile journeys to Leek. He has an entry, twice repeated, as follows: “My expenses to Leek when the Militia money should have been lotted £0 1 9 ” ; and for a fourth visit “My expenses to Leek when the Militia money was lotted £0 1 9.” He also records “My expenses to Leek when the Militia men was sworn £0 1 9” I His entries, which are unusually numerous, show that some new taxes were levied in that year “Writing warrants for the Assessors to go to Leek to receive instructions relating to the new tax on servants £0 1 0.” There is also a similar item in relation to a “new Duty on Houses.” Thomas Phillips was paid £3 13 6 for the repair of the Brund Mill bridge, a sum which exceeded the expectations of the joint committee of Sheen and Longnor parishioners. Other interesting items are “Pd. to the officer at Quarnford concerning Wm. Day who was drowned £1 5 0” and “Pd. to the Head Boroughs for their journeys to Leek concerning ye Militia ls.6d. each journey.”
Moses Charlesworth served as Constable in 1778-79 for his house in Longnor. He had quite as much trouble about the Militia as the other Constables who preceded him. He was particularly free in gifts to soldiers, sailors, soldiers’ widows and children, and his accounts are well sprinkled with items of these gifts. He issued a large number of press warrants and. has one item of “For assistance at several times to search for vagrants £0 15 6” and “Pd. William Bagnall of Warslow for pressing vagrants £0 6 0.,’ He evidently knew how to utilize the vagrancy material to some purpose. He “pressed” them instead of “pressing” his poorer neighbours as some did. He made numerous journeys to various parts of the parish repairing stocks, bridges, roads, and arranging for the collecting of the various taxes. One only other entry of his I need quote, “Pd. concorning a child being drowned at Holm End £0 5 0.,’ “Being found drowned” would have appeared a better phrase.
John Redfern held the office in 1779-80 for his farm at Flash Bottom. He also very freely pressed the vagrants but he pressed others also as he charged “Expenses in pressing Thos Harrison and taking him to Sheffield £2 8 6.’ He had an inquest to manage and he describes his transaction thus “Pd. concerning Martha Cottril’s child’s death, coroner, jury, and surgoon, &c. £2 13 6.” He seems to have made general overhauling of the stocks of all the villages for he had them nearly all repaired. The repairing of the stocks seems to have been an annual matter. He also did extensive work to the bridges, including the Brund Mill. Quarnford, Hollinsclough, Longnor, Pigginhole, &c. Sometimes his entries are delightfully vague as “For going to Alstonefield or business £0 3 6.”
(TO BE CONTINUED)
SATURDAY MAY 12th 1900
NOTES ON THE
ANCIENT PARISH OF
ALSTONEFIELD.
COMPRISING
E X T R AC T S
FROM THE
PARISH CONSTABLES’ ACCOUNTS
SINCE 1676, &c.
BY A LONGNOR ANTIQUARIAN.
John Elliot was the Constable of the parish 1780-81, serving for his house and land at Mill Dale. He has a large number of curious entries, and altogether he may be said to have had an eventful year. He had on several occasions spent 9d. in liquor and he was not slow to charge the items in his accounts. There seems to have been some sort of a bother at Oasket Bridge in this year for the Constable has a number of charges which indicate with charming eloquence that there were matters dealt with of more than every-day importance. He writes, “Decr. 5th, for viewing Oasket Bridge £0 1 0.” ‘ Pd. the expences of myself and Mr. Bestwick about George Austin serving him with a warrant and going several days about him when he must go to Gale £0 3 62’ “Jan. 1st, and the expenses of several people going to Oasket Bridge and agreeing with Hartington people several times before it could be settled £0 15 0.” The name of Wooddisse was a building name in the far-back days of 1780, for the Constable has entries, “May 27th, pd. to Edward Wooddisse for wood and woodwork doon at Wolscote Bridge £3 13 21,” and “Nov. 22nd, pd. to Edward Wooddisse for a new pare of stocks at Alstonefield £0 11 6.” There was more than one tragic event that the Constable was called to deal with in this year, to enter,. “Pd. a bill of expence concerning Edward Bray’s son who was drowned £1 2 11”; ‘pd. a bill concerning James Wilson’s child being drowned £1 0 0.” He was apparently not slow to use his powers to bring punishment’ upon the evil doers of the parish and he has a number of records showing that he considered it worth while to go to the trouble and expense to bring them to their deserts. He pd. to Mr. Bestwick when he took George Austin before a justice being out two days £0 2 6,” and “Pd. to Mr. Doughtty concerning a woman being committed to Gale £0 3 11.”
John Elliot also served the office in the following year, 1781-82, for John Cope of Hays gate. His accounts are almost a repetition of the previous year’s except that he had not to deal with the tragic deaths referred to, beyond one curious entry which I shall quote and except further that he had again an awful lot of work in relation to the Militia. The following is a very curious entry and can only be understood by reading Jurymen for Foremen.” Dec. 3rd pd. to John Millward for summoning four Foremen on ye inquest on Edward Bray’s son £0 4 0.” With regard to the Militia, one Samuel Nadin seems to have had a great many journeys to Leek for each one of which he charged or at least the parish paid—ls.6d.
Ultimately the Militia men were balloted and the men Sworn at Leek. - The
readers of these articles will not fail to have noticed several references to
the repair of the bridge between Hulme End and Hartington. The matter was a sore
point with officials of the parishes of Alstonefield and Hartington and after
frequent and always futile attempts to settle the liability to repair the bridge
between the counties of Staffordshire and Derbyshire at this point the joint
inhabitants agreed to refer the matter to the arbitration of Messrs. Beresford,
senr., of Castern, and Thos. Wild, of Eaton. Their award is entered in the
Constables’ account book in the year I am referring to and I think that it is
well worth copying. It runs thus :1 “Whereas a Dispute has for some time
subsisted between ye Inhabitants of Alstonefield in ye County of Stafford, and
ye Inhabitants of ye Parish of Hartington in ye County of Derby, concerning ye
Repair and Support of ye Bridge situate across ye River Dove between ye said
Parishes called Woolscote Bridge. The Intent and Meaning of this Memorandum
there fore is to settle in an amicable manner ye said Dispute and to prevent its
return in future. And for this purpose ye said Inhabitants of both Parishes have
agreed to refer ye same to Mr. Beresford senr., of Castern, and to Mr. Thos.
Wild, of Cold Eaton, who have adjusted ye same in ye following manner. There is
at this time a piece of timber on ye Hartington side of ye water laid as a
support of ye said bridge measuring from ye end to ye centre full Four Yards and
a half, be ye same more or less. The Hartington Parishioners are to support
their side of ye Bridge as far as ye said piece of timber reaches. That part of
ye Bridge on ye Alstonefield side, (wanting at present some repairs) shall be
repaired and supported by ye Alstonefield Parishioners, as far tord ye centre of
ye Bridge as ye other side mentioned to be repaired and supported by ye
Hartington Parishioners. And ye middle part of the Bridge that lies between
what has already been spoke of shall be kept in proper condition by an
equal join’d expence of both ye Parishes. To Witness to ye above the Referees
beforementioned have set their, hands and likewise some of ye Principals of the
said Parishes in behalf of themselves and ye rest of their Inhabitants
respectively, the day
and year above written.
Jan. 1st, 1781
Gee. Beresford, senr. .
Thomas Wild, senr.
Luke Story. Curate of Alstonefield.
Wm. Wardle, senr., Constable of Hartington.
John Elliot, Constable of Alstonefield.
HARTINGTON
John Marsh; Edwd. Wooddisse; Richd Wheeldon. Wm. Broadhurst; Tho. Fogg ;
Tho. Bateman; Fra Sterndale; Thos. Cantrell; John Fogg; Edw Ratcliffe.
ALSTONEFIELD.
John Adams; Wiliiam Wood; Wm. Blackwall; John Gibbs; Wm. Jackson
;(Ralph
Adam; John Phillips ; Thos. Bonsal; James Chadwick; John Spencer.
(To be continued)
Printed and published by HILL Bros. at their
Printing Works, situate in Haywood Street
Leek, in the County of Stafford, the 12th day of May, 1900