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Patron of FEW – The Right Honourable, the Earl Bathurst

Patron of FEW – The Right Honourable, the Earl Bathurst

Popular among the important members of Gloucestershire and Cotswold society, Earl Bathurst is known for his amiable and forthright personality. Hard working, fair minded, and a man of the people with a clear approach to duty and among other things currently an avid supporter of ‘Help the Heroes’. Locally, Lord of Cirencester, serving on several charitable boards, he is a director of the Housing Society and Trustee of the St Lawrence Hospital Trust. As an ambassador of agriculture, his limits…

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Miscellaneous Borough Legislation

Miscellaneous Borough Legislation

Borough Regulation The culture of English society really began in the boroughs created by Alfred the Great. In such an insular self-governing enclosure it was necessary to create rules and regulations. As mentioned previously in my comments on borough freemen, the law of custom determined that responsibilities would be shared upon the kinship of families. The local laws developed and were governed via the Moot hall. Digressions would normally result in monetary fines. Deliberate injuries or crimes against a neighbour…

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St Nicholas, the Freemen’s Civic Church, Gloucester

St Nicholas, the Freemen’s Civic Church, Gloucester

This church building has great importance in the history of the ‘Freemen of Gloucester’. Built in the 12th century in the Westgate ward of the old city, it performed a principal part in the support of the ancient burh (borough). The church became redundant in 1971 and is now under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Strategically located within the early burgage plots it was central in serving the Corporation and the industrious trades merchants of the City. The…

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Gloucester – The Case for Royal Entitlement

Gloucester – The Case for Royal Entitlement

To whom it may concern The City of Gloucester has good grounds for consideration of entitlement as a ‘royal’ town. Initiated by Alfred the Great and by Ethelred and Aethelflaed whose palace was at Gloucester. From earliest times it has been a place of noble patronage. Bede spoke of it as ‘one of the noblest cities in the Kingdom’. Alfred’s grandson Athelstan, first king over all of England was raised and died in Gloucester (buried in Malmesbury Abbey). Gloucester was…

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Of Gloucester & York

Of Gloucester & York

The County towns of Gloucestershire and Yorkshire while unique in themselves have much in common with each other in forming our English nation. It is interesting to discover the several historic parallels between these two ancient cities. Their capital importance within the history of England is sometimes overlooked by modern society. Historically they were only second to London and Westminster. An indication of the importance of York is given to its Archbishop, whose position is ranked directly after the Archbishop…

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Peggs vs Lamb Law Report

Peggs vs Lamb Law Report

Law Report: Trusts to benefit whole borough: Peggs and others v Lamb and others – Chancery Division (Mr Justice Morritt), 12 March 1993. Paul Magrath, Barrister 20 April 1993. The freemen of the ancient borough of Huntingdon did not have a statutory right to share equally between them all the income of the land, proceeds of sale and investments currently held by the trustees of the Huntingdon Commons Charity and Lammas Rights Charity. The original and charitably valid purpose of…

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Shelley Successions at Sudbury

Shelley Successions at Sudbury

For centuries the Shelley’s were ‘freemen’ trading in Sudbury, clearly succeeding directly from Richard Shelley who is recorded in 1632. The family operated in the woollen weaving business employing apprentices and yeomen weavers. Eventually they moved into blacksmithing and established a flourishing operation at the east of the town in the area known as Wigan End. In the 1860s Charles Thomas Shelley was head of the family, with premises at nos 9, 10 and Il East Street (Wigan End) with…

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Gloucester’s Civic Administration

Gloucester’s Civic Administration

NOTES extracted from VCH Among Gloucester’s courts, the hundred court met every Monday, swore in constables, freemen, and officers of the trade companies, and tried civil actions involving citizens. From the mid 16th century, however, the court was in decline. More active was the piepowder court held at the Tolsey by the sheriffs on market days. That was the main court of pleas in the city, hearing a good deal of litigation and with a number of attorneys in attendance. The frankpledge jury…

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YMCA BRITISH BOYS FOR BRITISH FARMS

YMCA BRITISH BOYS FOR BRITISH FARMS

Training Scheme 1932 – 1968 Sir George Williams, founder of the YMCA in London in 1844, was the youngest of eight brothers who were brought up by their parents on Ashway Farm, Dulverton in Somerset. George Williams was born on 21 October 1821. By the outbreak of the First World War the YMCA was well known in Britain and in many places overseas through its clubs, hostels and for its educational work. The YMCA is now represented around the world…

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Lammas Lands (half-yearly land)

Lammas Lands (half-yearly land)

In various parts of the countryside you may come upon the historical term Lammas-land. Usually meadow lands, they are a form of common land where right-holders are entitled to pasture their beasts following the harvest of hay. The period for grazing (or open period) runs from Lammas Day (12 August) until Lady Day on 25 March or in some cases, until 6 April. This custom dates back to the Anglo-Saxon hlaf-mas or ‘loaf-mas’ that ran from 1st August until 1st…

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