North Westmorland: Clerks of the peace and High Constables

The Later Records Relating To North Westmorland Or the Barony of Appleby. Originally published by Titus Wilson and Son, Kendal, 1932.

'North Westmorland: Clerks of the peace and High Constables', in The Later Records Relating To North Westmorland Or the Barony of Appleby, (Kendal, 1932) pp. 42-43. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/n-westmorland-records/vol8/pp42-43 [accessed 12 April 2024]

CLERKS OF THE PEACE.

For the County.

The Custos Rotulorum of the county has the appointment of the Clerk of the Peace. Whereas, by reason of sundry persons having been granted the office of the Clerkship of the Peace being not learned nor yet meet nor able for lack of knowledge and learning to occupy and exercise the office, many indictments as well of felony, murder and other offences and misdemeanors and the process awarded upon the same, have been made frustrate and void by negligent ingrossing, enrolment and keeping the same by the aforesaid Clerks to the great hindrance of Justice, etc. For reformation whereof be it enacted that every Custos Rotulorum for the time being shall at all times hereafter nominate, elect, appoint and assign such able persons who are instructed in the Laws of the Realm as shall be able to exercise and occupy the office, so that the said Clerk demean him in the said office justly and honourably. See Act 37 Henry VIII, c.1.

The title of "Clerk" originally belonged to the Holy Ministry of the Church as the monks were perhaps the only men in those times who could use a pen. And as such monks were at first appointed officers of the Courts of Law, we gain the second sense which denotes any person, whether clerical or lay, who practises his pen to record all things judicially done by the Justices in any court.

The following is a list of the Clerks of the Peace for Westmorland, going back as far as the Rolls of Quarter Sessions allow.



1669–1678	Richard Rowlandson.
1678–1681	George Fothergill.
–1688	— Hudson.
1706–1729	Richard Baynes.
1729–1736	William Carleton.
1736–1744	William Wilkin.
1744–1750	Richard Wordsworth.
1750–1755	John Robinson.
1763–1776	Joseph Robinson.
1776–1778	John Nicholson.
1778–1780	George Wheatley.
1780–1792	Joshua Nicholson.
1793–1797	Henry Tatham.
1798–1800	— Saul.
1800–1812	John Richardson.
1812–1838	Rich. S. Stephenson.
1839–1888	John Bell.
1888–1916	John Bolton
1916–1918	Alexander Milne.
1919–	H. B. Greenwood.

THE HIGH CONSTABLES.

For the East and West Wards.


East Ward.		West Ward.

1661–1664	John Hall.	1661–1664	Thomas Rigg.
1664–1666	John Gowling.	1664–1666	William Langhorn.
1666–1674	William Fairer.	1666–1674	William Thwaites.
1674–	Thomas Birkbeck.	1674–1679	Richard Smith.
1698–	Thomas Robinson	1679–	John Smith deputy.
1702–1703	Henry Aiskill.	1683–1702	John Smith.
1703–1716	John Robinson.	1703–1706	John Webster.
1716–1717	Thomas Scaife.	1706–1731	Richard Smith.
1717–1725	Thomas Monkhouse.
1725–1730	Anthony Parkin.
1730–1742	Charles Robinson.	1731–1756	Henry Holme, the elder.
1742–1744	Thomas Lamb.
1744–1753	Robert Bownass.
1753–1787	John Bownass the elder.	1756–1797	Henry Holme, the younger.
1787–1798	John Bownass, the younger.
1798–1803	John Cleasby.	1798–1844	Thomas Holme.
1803–1822	Richard Dixon.
1822–1835	William Dixon.	1844–	Henry Holme.
1835–	Thomas Harrison.
1849–1856	John Bird.

In 1856 Cumberland and Westmorland joined together in appointing Mr. John Dunn as Chief Constable over the two counties. His salary was not to exceed £300 with £150 for all travelling expenses, and that Westmorland should not be called upon to pay more than one-fourth of such salary and expense.