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Author Topic: Parish Clerk  (Read 205 times)
suttontrust
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Parish Clerk
« on: Saturday 15 January 05 22:54 UTC (UK) »
William Walker lived in the little Staffordshire village of Alton all his life (1840 - 1913) and made his living as a stone mason.  However, in 1901 he was Parish Clerk.  I know what that entails nowadays, but what would have been involved in 1901?  Did William get the job because he was a local big-wig?
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Godden in East Sussex, mainly Hastings area.
Richards in Lea, Gloucestershire, then London.
Williamson in Leith, Vickers in Nottingham.
Webb in Bildeston and Colchester.
Wesbroom in Kirby le Soken.
Ellington in Harwich.
Park, Palmer, Segar and Peartree in Kersey.
suttontrust
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Re: Parish Clerk
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 16 January 05 16:52 UTC (UK) »
Further to the above, does anyone have a copy of Family Tree Magazine for November 1989?  I gather there was an article on the subject by R J Skinner.
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Godden in East Sussex, mainly Hastings area.
Richards in Lea, Gloucestershire, then London.
Williamson in Leith, Vickers in Nottingham.
Webb in Bildeston and Colchester.
Wesbroom in Kirby le Soken.
Ellington in Harwich.
Park, Palmer, Segar and Peartree in Kersey.
Hackstaple
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Re: Parish Clerk
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 16 January 05 17:10 UTC (UK) »
The list that you can access by this URL indicates how varied were the origins of the Parish Clerk:
http://steve.pickthall.users.btopenworld.com/pci/PCI-NFK.html
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Southern or Southan [Hereford , Monmouthshire & Glos], Jenkins, Meredith and Morgan [Monmouthshire and Glos.], Murrill, Damary, Damry, Ray, Lawrence [all Middx. & London], Nethway from Kenn or Yatton. Also Riley and Lyons in South Africa and Riley from St. Helena.
Any census information included in this post is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
suttontrust
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Re: Parish Clerk
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 16 January 05 22:07 UTC (UK) »
I've seen that one, thanks.  The difficulty is that I think by 1901 the duties were more in line with modern PCs.  An elected "vestry" with a paid Parish Clerk.  I'd like to read up in more detail.
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Godden in East Sussex, mainly Hastings area.
Richards in Lea, Gloucestershire, then London.
Williamson in Leith, Vickers in Nottingham.
Webb in Bildeston and Colchester.
Wesbroom in Kirby le Soken.
Ellington in Harwich.
Park, Palmer, Segar and Peartree in Kersey.
kelly
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Re: Parish Clerk
« Reply #4 on: Monday 17 January 05 10:25 UTC (UK) »
Also from Steve Pickthall's site - http://steve.pickthall.users.btopenworld.com
there is a description of the role of the parish clerk prior to 1907 and local government reorganisation

" Parish Clerk - They should be at least 20 years old. Known to the parson as a man of honest conversation and sufficient for his reading, writing and competent skill in singing. (Canon 91 - 1603)
Functions - reading the lessons and epistles, singing in the choir, giving out the hymns, leading the responses, serving at the altar and other like duties, opening of the church, ringing the bell, digging graves if there be no sexton."

Steve also recommends as Further Reading:-
The Parish Clerk by PH Ditchfield (Methuen, London 1907)

Hope this is of some help.
 I'm off to try and trace the above-mentioned book myself, as I'm curious to find out more - my ggg grandfather was parish clerk at St Martin's Chester until 1850

Dorothy
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BRUCE; MATHER; MCKILLOP;BALMAIN;ALYSON (Perth,Scotland);BLAIR:SCOTT;FLEMING,PATERSON; SEMPLE (Midlothian, Scotland)
CRANE; PLEAVIN; SUMNER;DUTTON Cheshire; HEWITT (Cheshire & Liverpool);
FLAHERTY;HEGARTY; KELLY; LAPPIN; MCDONALD SAVAGE; REYNOLDS (Ireland & Liverpool);
MCVEY; MELLOR in Liverpool PRICE(Denbighshire & Liverpool);
BOLITHO;CHAMPERNOWNE;GODOLPHIN;HODGE;TREBILCOCK;TREVILER;WEBB;    TREWARTHA:UREN (Cornwall)



Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
suttontrust
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Re: Parish Clerk
« Reply #5 on: Friday 21 January 05 10:28 UTC (UK) »
Sorry, Kelly, thought I'd replied.  Yes, I'd seen Steve's site.  The problem remains that 1901 is just on the cusp of change from the old system to the new, so I'm not sure what William's duties would have been.
Logged
Godden in East Sussex, mainly Hastings area.
Richards in Lea, Gloucestershire, then London.
Williamson in Leith, Vickers in Nottingham.
Webb in Bildeston and Colchester.
Wesbroom in Kirby le Soken.
Ellington in Harwich.
Park, Palmer, Segar and Peartree in Kersey.
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