CHAP. V.

ANTIQUITY OF THE OFFICE OF BAILIFF.

The term bailiff is derived from the French bayljff that is, praefectus provinciae, and as the name, so the office, was answerable to that of France. In ancient times the administration of justice devolved upon certain individuals, appointed by the reigning monarch, who upon taking the office were generally designated the king’s bailiffs; other persons also, to whom were committed the keeping of the king’s castles, were usually termed bailiffs, as, the bailiff of Dover Castle, &c &c. besides these instances just noted, another, and almost the only one now remaining, was generally distinguished with that title, viz, the chief magistrates of cities and boroughs, some of whom, by charter, art now designated by that of mayor, whilst many others retain the title of bailiff to the present time; amongst which Retford may be classed as one.

At what period this title was first claimed by, or bestowed upon, the magistrates of this Borough is unknown ; certain it is, however, that it was previous to the thirteenth century. In the charter of James I. it is stated that the burgesses had been known sometimes by the name of bailiffs and burgesses, sometimes by the name of burgesses, and sometimes by other names; which information would lead us to conclude that no certain cognomen was applied until the granting of the charter just alluded to; indeed the term mayor, and major, is not unfrequently mentioned in several of the ancient records, but whether applied from authority, or allowed by courtesy, I am unable to certify; at the granting of that charter, however, this was set at rest, and since that period they have invariably retained the name.

At the commencement of my labours it was my intention to have given a succession of magistrates from the year 1607, but finding that to be impossible, from various causes, over which I had no control, I am only enabled to present the names of those for that year, and of the individuals who were nominated aldermen* of the Borough, by the ordinances appended to the charter.

BAILIFFS AND ALDERMEN OF 1607.

William Thornton, Senior Bailiff. Nicholas Watson, Junior Bailiff.

ALDERMEN.

Robert Wharton, Gent.

Richard Parnell, Gent.

Thos. Tupman, Gent.

Robert Stokeham, Gent.

Henry Mason, Gent.

William Bellamy, Gent.

John Jepson, Gent.

Francis Barker, Gent.

Richard Osam, Gent.

and

Henry Parnell, Gent.

Martin Taylor, Gent.

LIST OF BAILIFFS FROM 1700.

The following are the names of the bailiffs from 1700 to 1828, with notice of particular events, local and general, arranged under the years in which the several occurrences took place.

1700

Edward Jackson and William Peete

1701

William Bellamy and John Reynolds

1702

John Reynolds and Jonathan Lidgett

1703

Francis Dunston and Edward Thompson

1704

William Booth and Thomas Wright

1705

Jonathan Lidgett and Joseph Granger

1706

Edward Jackson and John Marr

1707

Jacob Mason and Thomas West

1708

Unknown

1709

Unknown

1710

Edward Jackson and William Golland

1711

Thomas West and Rado Hepwell

1712

Thomas West and Rado Hepwell

1713

Unknown

1714

William Booth and John Riley

1715

William Peete and Edward Jackson

1716

Edward Jackson and Thomas Novas

1717

John Booth and Edward Pickering

1718

Dobson Jackson and George Booth

1719

William Peete and Edward Fossist

1726

Thomas Wright and Thomas Buxton

1721

Unknown

1722

Unknown

1723

Dobson Jackson and John Holsking

1724

Thomas West and Richard Cottain

1725

Thomas Wright and Thomas Buxton

1726

Matthew Bradshaw and Thomas Rose.

1727

Thomas Hodson and John Wright

1728

John Hodson and Thomas Wright

1729

Robert Atkin and Richard Jackson

1730

Unknown

1731

Edward Jackson and Richard Smith

1732

John Riley and John Bower

1733

Richard Jackson and John Harrison

1734

Dobson Jackson and John Parker

1735

Thomas Buxton and Benjamin Cromwell

1736

Robert Atkin and Robert Whitlam

1737

John Parker and Jonathan Bean

1738

Thomas West and Edward Taylor

1739

Richard Jackson and James Booth

1740

Dobson Jackson and James Mason

1741

John Booth and John Mason

1742

Thomas West and James Stenton

1743

Thomas Wright and John Williamson

1744

John Mason and John Parker

1745

William Goodall and John Bristow. This year the rebellion in Scotland, and the battle of Culloden, took place. An army of 6000 English and Hessians encamped upon Wheatley Hills; the soldiers on marching through here soon after, made a stable of the church for their horses.

1746

John Kirke and Francis Goodall

1747

James Mason and Benjamin Allison

1748

Benjamin Cromwell and John Wheat. Peace between England, France, and Spain proclaimed in February.

1749

Thomas Buxton and Robert Moody. Earthquakes felt in London on the 8th February, and the 8th of March.

1750

John Harrison and William Bailey. On the 23rd of August, the shock of earthquake as felt here, about seven in morning; the day was remarkably calm both before and after the shock.

1751

Benjamin Allison and Joseph Wright

1752

Thomas West and William Smith . The style and calendar altered on the 2nd,of September. The roof of the nave of the church was found to be in a very defective state; a new one was put on, and a rate of 7s. in the pound was laid on the parish to defray the expense. The rate amounted to £161. 0s. 8d. The top of the bridge over the river Idle, laid with new planks.

1753

John Mason and George Popplewell First sheep market held in this Borough, 29th September. The junior bailiff’s mace re-gilt.

1754

Thomas West and Clifton Woolby. This year the charter of James I. was translated by order of the Corporation.

1755

Benjamin Cromwell and William Kirke. The town-hall re-built. Lisbon totally destroyed by an earthquake.

1756

John Parker and John Bright. An act of parliament passed for making the river Idle navigable to Stockwith.

1757.

John Bright and John Bingley. The militia raised

1758

John Mason and John Hurst. The expenses of re-building the town jail ascertained to be £1773. 19s. 1d

1759

William Smith and John Booth. Land marks ordered to be set up at the boundaries of the estates belonging to the Corporation.

1760

John Bingley and Edward Brown

1761

John Hurst and John Booth

1762

Benjamin Cromwell and John Barker

1763

Edward Brown and Thomas Brumby

1764

John Mason and John Storm

1765

William Smith and Fretwell Hudson

1766

John Bingley and John Taylor

1767

John Hurst and William Gylby

1768

William Kirke and Robert Sutton, Esqrs.

1769

George Popplewell and Sampson Mosman

1770

John Bright and Michael Sampson

1771

John Booth and Richard Hutchinson. The paper mill in the occupation of Mr. Brumby, pulled down and re-built.

1772

John Taylor and James Booth. The position of the door in the south wing of the church was altered to its present situation. Calicoes first made in Lincolnshire.

1773

Robert Sutton, Esq. and David Wheelwright. The roof of the chancel was considerably repaired at the expense of the parish.

1774

Benjamin Cromwell and John Kirke, Esq. July 23rd, Robert Sutton, Esq. resigned the office of senior bailiff, and Alderman John Booth elected in his stead.

1775

Sampson Mosman and John Thornton, Sen. Robert Sutton Esq. Resigned his aldermanship, September 13th.

1776

Thomas Brumby, Son, and John Thornton, Jun

1777

John Bright and Edmund Kirke, Esqrs. The whole of the streets repaved

1778

John Thornton, Sen. And Thomas Brumby, Jun.

1779

Richard Hutchinson and Francis Haworth. John Spencer, a native of North Leverton, was executed at Nottingham, on the 26th July, for the murder of William Yeadon, and his mother, Mary Yeadon, the keepers of Scrooby toll-bar, near which place his body was hung in chains; the gibbet post still remaining. A few weeks after being hung in chains, a party of soldiers passed that way, when a serjeant fired a musket, loaded with ball, at the body, and hit it. As soon as the circumstance was known, the soldiers were pursued, and the serjeant taken. He was afterwards tried by a court martial, and turned into the ranks.

1780

Edward Brown and John Brumby.

1781

John Barker and Nathaniel Howard

1782

William Gylby and William Clarke. The town first publicly lighted with lamps.

1783

David Wheelwright and Darker Parker

1784

Robert Moody and James Marr

1785

John Parker and John Fell

1786

John Thornton, Jun. And John Ghest

1787

Sampson Mosman and Thomas Hall. Three new chandeliers placed in the church.

1788

Thomas Brumby and Edward Brown, Jan.

1789

John Thornton and John Barker, Jun. On the 30th of January, an address of thanks was voted unanimously by the Corporation to the Right Hon. William Pitt, who by his parliamentary conduct had nobly asserted, and strenuously supported, the constitutional rights of the Commons of this Realm, to provide the means of supplying the defect of the personal exercise of the royal authority from the indisposition of his Majesty. The address was presented to Mr. Pitt by the Duke of Newcastle, Lord High Steward of the Borough: the following reply was received by the Town Clerk.

 

Downing Street, Feb. 3rd, 1789. Sir, I have had the Honor -of receiving from the Duke of Newcastle, a copy of the Resolution, of the Bailiffs, Recorder, and Aldermen of the Town of East Retford, for which I beg thro’ you to convey my best acknowledgments. It gives me great satisfaction ‘to find that the principles on which have felt it my duty to Act in the present unfortunate Emergency, meet with their Concurrence and Approbation. I am, Sir, Your most Obdt. and faithful Servant W Pitt

1790

Darker Parker and Joseph Ginever.

1791

John Booth, Jun. And Joseph Ginever, Jun.

1792

Edward Brown. and George Bailey, Jun.

1793

Richard Hutchinson and Richard Chappell

1794

Sampson Mosman and Beaumont Marshall

1795

Joseph Ginever, Sen. and William Hindley. At a vestry meeting held on the 25th of January, it was resolved to discontinue playing the organ, and the salary of the organist to be funded for the purpose of erecting a new one

1796

John Parker and Thomas Barker. Thirty-six persons admitted to their freedom by redemption.

1797

David Wheelwright and John Hutchinson. On the 2nd of November it was resolved at a meeting of the Corporation that the stockhouse or gaol, standing in the market-place, should he pulled down, and re-built where it now stands. Mr. Donaldson agreed to put a new organ into the old case for one hundred and thirty guineas. John Milner, was executed at Nottingham on the 16th of August, for stealing three cows, belonging to Mr. John Vessey, of Rufford. After he had hung a few seconds, the knot of the rope gave way, and he fell to the ground. Upon being raised up and prepared to be hung a second time, he exclaimed, "My God, this is hard work!".

1798

William Clarke and John Abson. On the 22nd of March the Corporation voted the sum of one hundred pounds per annum to government towards the support of the war.

1799

Richard Dixon and Thomas Marshall

1800

Edward Brown and John Thornton

1801

John Thornton and George Barker. Michael Denman and William Sykes, both of East Retford, were executed at Nottingham on the 5th of August, for breaking into the Brown Cow public house, at Mansfield, kept by Mr. Bowler, and stealing thereout a sum of money, and other articles.

1802

John Thornton and William Clarke

1803

Joseph Ginever and Isaac Dean. William Hill, of Lowdham, was executed at Nottingham on the 10th of August, for committing a rape (attended with great brutality) on Mrs. Sarah Justice, wife of a respectable farmer, at Bole, near Gainsbro’, on the 28th of May, in the same year.

1804

Joseph Ginever and James Clark. Change in the administration, and Mr. Pitt reinstated as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and First Lord of the Treasury.

1805

Beaumont Marshall and George Thornton. Robert Powell, a native of Stafford, suffered the extreme penalty of the law, on the 10th of April, for robbing the house of James Leemings, of Worksop. On the 3rd of November, Thomas Otter, of Treswell, near Retford, murdered his wife at Drinsey Nook, being the evening of the day on which they were married. He was tried and executed at Lincoln, at the following assizes, and his body afterwards hung in chains on Saxilby Common, near the place where the horrid deed was perpetrated. He was malicious and revengeful and cruel to horses and other animals. A remarkable instance of which is related of him. Having cut out the eyes of a living ass, he made an incision with his knife in the rump, on each side of the tail, and stuck them in!

1806

John Thornton, Sen. and Joshua Cottam

1807

Joseph Ginever and John Mason

1808

William Clarke and William Golland

1809

John Thornton, jun. and George Hudson

1810

George Bailey and Thomas Welch

1811

William Clarke and John Hudson

1812

Richard Chappell and George Thornton

1813

Beaumont Marshall and William Cocking. This year £50. was subscribed by the Corporation for the distressed poor in Russia, consequent upon the French invasion.

1814

Joshua Cottam and John Dawber

1815

John Mason and Jonathan Banks. Battle of Waterloo. John Hemstock, alias Black, a native of West Retford, was executed at Nottingham, on the. 23rd of March, for the murder of James Snell, at the Whinleys, near Clarborough. His body was taken to the General Hospital near Nottingham for dissection; where his skeleton may at present be seen.

1816

Thomas Welch and William Meekley

1817

John Kirke, Esq. and William Cottam. The broad. stone removed from the market-place, to its present situation.

1818

John Parker and John Hoult

1819

Darker Parker and William Cartwright

1820

William Meckley and William Cartwright

1821

William Clarke and William Cottam

1822

John Thornton, Jun. and John Dawber. Henry Sanderson, a native of Carlton in Lindric, was executed at Nottingham, on the 22nd of March, for the murder of William Cast gamelteeper to Sir Thomas Wollaston White, Bart.

1823

Joshua Cottam and William Cottam

1824

George Thornton and Thomas Appleby

1825

George Hudson and John Dawber.

1826

John Thornton, Sen. and George Bailey. Joshua Smith and George Milnes, were executed at Nottingham, on the 26th of July, for breaking into the shop of John and Ann Wheat, drapers, &c. of Rampton, near this place.

1827

John Cottam, Sen. and Samuel Hindley

1828

John Parker and William Elvidge (bailiffs elect)

PRESENT BODY CORPORATE, ETC.

The Corporation of East Retford consists of two bailiffs, a recorder, a town clerk, and two sergeants at mace. The senior bailiff is chosen at nine o’clock in the morning on the first monday in August, from amongst the aldermen, and the junior bailiff at twelve on the same day, from amongst the freemen at large, the aldermen nominating two individuals who have previously obtained their freedom: their names are then communicated to the freemen, and the choice of the person to be elected is determined by a majority of votes.

The present Body Corporate is composed of the following individuals, viz.

LORD HIGH STEWARD.

His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K. G. &c. &c.

LEARNED STEWARD, (OR RECORDER.)

James Clinton Fynnes Clinton, Esq. M. P.

John Cottam, Gent. Senior Bailiff. Samuel Hindley, Gent. Junior Bailiff.

ALDERMEN.

John Parker, Gent.

William Meckley, Gent.

John Thornton, Gent.

George Thornton, Gent.

Darker Parker, Gent.

George Hudson, Gent.

William Clarke, Gent.

Francis Dewick, Gent.

Joshua Cottam, Gent.

Thomas Appleby, Gent.

DEPUTY STEWARD, (or TOWN CLERK.)

Mr Edward Cromwell Brown.

SERGEANTS AT MACE.

Mr. William Pearson.

Mr. William Tootell.

TOWN CRIER.

Samuel Tomlinson.

The senior bailiff, the aldermen, and the junior bailiff (during his year of office,) have each a gown, of purple cloth, edged with fur, in which they usually appear at church,, four times in the year. Two very elegant maces wrought of silver, and gilt over, are borne before the bailiffs, on these, and other public occasions; one of which (the largest) was presented to the Corporation by Sir Edward Nevile, Bart. and on one side has the following inscription "Ex dono Edwardi Nevile, Milit. & Bart. de Grove in Comitatu Nottinghamiae." On the obverse, on a shield, a rose, surmounted by a lion proper, surrounded by a circle on which is engraved "Villa de East Retforde: 1679." The lesser one, is considerably older and has no inscription, or other armorial bearing, with the exception of the King’s Arms, and some emblematical devices, it was given to the Corporation by Sir Gervas Clifton, Bart. and M. P., as well as a large silver bowl, a smaller one, two wine bowls, two silver salts, and twelve silver spoons. They have also a very stately silver cup, presented by the Earl of Lincoln, which is generally used at the Corporation feasts.

* Alderman, from the Saxon ealderman, or senior. Amongst the Saxons, this was applied as one of the degrees of nobility, and signified an Earl, but it literally imports no more than "elder.”