Stone Ward Within—Thomas Campbell Eyton, William Richard Stokes, David Evans, James Burrey, Edward Hughes, Lewis Meredith.
Stone Ward Without—William Burr, Charles Bowen Teece, John Hazledine, George Harper, Richard Taylor, William Butler Lloyd.
Welsh Ward—Thomas William Trouncer, Robert Mortimer Healing, Robert Baugh Blakemore, William Onions, Robert Haycock, Henry Keate.
Recorder, Charles Harwood, Esq. Coroner (borough), Henry Keate, Esq. Town Clerk, J. J. Peel, Esq. Clerk of the Peace, G. Gordon, Esq. Magistrates’ Clerk, W. H. Cooper, Esq. Chief Constable, Captain Mayne. Borough Treasurer, Mr. Henry Pidgeon. Surveyor, Mr. Thomas Tisdale. Governor of the Gaol, Mr. John Sheppard, Town Marshall and senior Serjeant, S. Farlow. Chief Constable, William Harper. Serjeant of Mace, John Thomas. Town Crier, George Rowe.
The Borough Police Force consists of a chief constable, two superintendents, two inspectors, and thirteen constables.
The County Constabulary consists of a chief constable, two first class superintendents, four second class superintendents, ten first class constables, and forty second class constables.
In the year 1756, thirty-seven colliers were brought to gaol for rioting and committing outrages in the county, it being a time of scarcity for all kinds of provisions. The trial took place at the spring assizes of the following year. Ten of the rioters were left for execution; but the judge sent his report express to the attorney-general, with an intimation fixed for the day of execution, and the individuals two in number, who, as he deemed it should suffer the sentence of the law. The report having been transmitted to Mr. Pitt, then secretary of state, it lay there untouched, and was never laid before the king. The day of execution arrived, without any reprieve, and Mr. Leek, the deputy sheriff, was advised by several of the principal gentlemen in the town to leave the prisoners to their fate. But he was so much shocked at the thought of executing so large a number, which he was convinced could not be the intention of the judge, that he ventured to postpone the execution, and sent off an express to London, on the return of which he had the satisfaction of finding that his conduct was highly approved of, and still more, the consciousness that he had saved eight lives. The following is part of a letter written to him on the occasion by Lord Chief Justice Willes:—“Till I saw your letter I was under the greatest uneasiness,—for I took it for granted that all the ten rioters had been executed on Saturday last; and, upon my return from the Home Circuit, on Thursday last, I found that by a shameful neglect in one of the secretary of state’s officers, no reprieve had been sent down; and, as it was then too late to send one down, I saw no reason to hope that their execution would be deferred to a longer time. But though, to be sure, you have acted contrary to your duty, you have acted a wise, prudent, and most humane part; and you have not only my thanks, but the thanks of some of the greatest men in the kingdom, for the part you have acted on this occasion.” In a letter from Mr. Leek’s agent in town it is stated, “My Lord Commissioner Willes was so afflicted . . . that it really made him ill; and he did not for two days go into the king’s closet, so much he feared the effect it might have upon the king’s mind, if the affair was communicated to his majesty while it was under that state of uncertainty. Thank God, your prudent and well judged respite has prevented all the uneasiness and mischiefs that might have happened; and I have the pleasure to assure you that no step was ever taken that has given more satisfaction, than this of yours has done. My Lord Commissioner Willes waited this day upon the king with your letter, and has directed me to acquaint you, by his majesty’s orders, that his majesty entirely approves of what you have done.”
CHURCHES.
St. Mary’s Church stands in a commanding position in St. Mary’s street, and is one of the most interesting ecclesiastical edifices in the country. This fine structure is cruciform, and consists of nave, side aisles, transept, chancel, two side chapels, and a tower, crowned with a lofty and beautiful spire. In common with most of our early churches there is no opportunity of ascertaining the precise date of its erection; it is said to owe its foundation to Edgar, who, at the suggestion of Archbishop Dunstan, placed in it a dean, seven prebends, and a parish priest, with a stipend of £6. 6s. 8d. per annum. There is, however, every probability that the foundation was antecedent to his reign. In the time of Edward the Confessor, this college possessed a landed estate of about 1300 acres, which it continued to hold at the Domesday survey, but of which it was soon after deprived. From a very early period this church enjoyed the privilege of a royal free chapel, and was therefore exempt from the jurisdiction of the Bishops. These privileges formed a frequent ground of contest between the sovereign pontiffs and the kings of England. A particular instance relates to the church now under consideration. About the year 1270, the dean had a dispute with the Abbot of Salop, touching the right of presentation to the Church of Fittes, or as it was then written, Fitesho, to which one Robert de Acton had been instituted by the Bishop of Lichfield, and forcibly ejected by the dean. Acton, being a crusader, was under the especial protection of the pope, whose officer called “the Executor of the Cross,” sent an order to the Abbot of Shrewsbury to restore the incumbent to his benefice. This being done the king’s attorney-general filed an information against the abbot, requiring him to answer ‘whereof he exercised jurisdiction in the Chapel of Fitesho,’ appertaining to the King’s Free Chapel of St. Mary, of Salop, which is exempt, so that neither our lord “the pope, nor any other ecclesiastical judge hath jurisdiction therein.” Judgment passed against the abbot, and he was sentenced to pay damages to the king and to suffer imprisonment.
The Dean of St. Mary’s, had, from time immemorial, the power of collecting and paying into the king’s exchequer, the tenths or other subsidies arising from the deanery and prebends. Edward the first confirmed this privilege; and his grandson, in the eighteenth year of his reign, recognized by directing the sheriffs of Salop and Hereford not to enter the jurisdiction of the royal chapel, or to levy a distress on the possessions thereof, for any subsidies or tenths, unless the dean should neglect to make a due return. At the dissolution of collegiate churches 1. of Edward VI., the revenues which consisted chiefly of tithe, amounted to £42, the greatest portion of which was granted by that monarch towards the endowment of the Free Schools. According to Leland it had a dean and nine poor prebendaries, also vicars choral, two chauntry priests, a parish priest, and a clerk or assistant. The peculiar jurisdiction of the Royal Free Chapel remained till the recent act of parliament restored it to the bishop of the diocese, and was held in lease at an annual rent of £1. 6s. 8d., of the corporation to whom Queen Elizabeth granted it by charter, dated 23rd May, 1571. The usual style of the minister was “ordinary and official, principal of the peculiar and exempt jurisdiction of the Free Royal Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” In his courts wills were proved, letters of administration were granted, and all ecclesiastical matters, arising within the parish and its subordinate chapelries, adjudicated. In 1632, King Charles I., during his residence at the council house, attended divine service here, received the sacraments, and made solemn protestations of his fidelity to the principles of the reformed religion.