RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: paulhill on Sunday 08 July 07 08:23 BST (UK)
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Hi,
One of my ancesters, William Mattocks, was named as a "Parish Clerk" in Staplegrove, Somerset in the mid 1700s!
I wonder if anyone knows what being a Parish Clerk actually involved.
Many Thanks, Paul.
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Hi Paul
Thinking about some of the jobs they do now, - minuting parish meetings, putting out notices of parish business for the community. I don't know whether they would have written entries in the parish register or whether the curate would have done that? Basically administration and organisation.
Kerry
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I've just found this page which you might find useful
http://steve.pickthall.users.btopenworld.com/pci/6.html
Ignore what I said about the modern parish clerk, according to this site the roles are now different as being employed by local government as from 1907.
Kerry
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Thanks very much, this is exactly what i've been looking for!
Paul.
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Excellent! ;D
Kerry
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Of the three salaried officials of a parish church, the Clerk was superior to the Sexton but inferior to the rector or vicar. In 1844 an act of Parliament deprived the parish clerks of nearly all their duties (which were transferred to curates) while another of 1894 left them with few responsibilities other than the care of certain documents and maps.
Lecturers and Parish Clerks Act 1844 (c.59)
Local Government Act 1894 (c.73)
The London guild of parish clerks was incorporated by Henry III in 1232 and became a Livery Company of the City of London. When their charter was renewed by James I (and later by Charles II) it was stipulated that 'Every person that is chosen Clerk of a Parish shall first give sufficient proof of his abilities to sing at least the tunes which are used in parish churches.'
Clerks were often entrusted with making up the parish Registers though, in fact, delegation of this responsibility was unlawful.
They are often maligned by historians as being uneducated and reactionary. And yet their office was an ancient one and they made a significant contribution to the development of church music in England.
Parish clerks were usually men, though there were rare exceptions such as the formidable Betty Howell who was clerk and sexton of St. Saviour's church at Puxton in Somerset in the early nineteenth century.
There can be some confusion about the ancient position, and duties, of 'Parish Clerk' and the situation today. The clerical duties of a parish are now undertaken by the PCC secretary, also called the Parish Administrator in some parishes.
Stan
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The clerk was a well respected member of the community and would have been the person who filled in the registers that were held in the parish chest. To see how highly regarded they were one only a to look at burial registers and in the majority of cases they are listed with length of service etc.
Rob
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Thanks, this all helps to fill in the background to my ancester! :D
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Do you mind if i come in on this one please.
This is interesting---i have a marriage cert where the father is down as labourer, but-- the only census i can find that looks like this particular family, this man [if indeed it is the same one] is down as a Parish Clerk.
Would it be beyond the realms of possibility for the same man to be both do you think??? Poli.
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What year are we talking but no its not out of the realms of possible. My ggg grandfathe was an ag lab with a small cottage farm did work for the parish and was clerk for one yr also
Rob
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I guess that the major qualification would be the ability to read and write ;D
Kerry
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Some more details ;)
They should be at least 20 years old, and 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. The role of Sexton is usually combined in country parishes. They are the sacristan, the keeper of holy things relating to divine service. Responsible for the care of the church, vestments and vessels, keeping the church clean, ringing bells, opening/closing doors, digging graves and care of the churchyard.
Stan
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What year are we talking but no its not out of the realms of possible.
Parish Clerk in the 1841 census aged 55 and then as labourer on daughter's marriage lines in 1858.
Now i think about the age of the father it could well be that i have the wrong father in the census? Will have to dig further. Poli.
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It is entirely possible as a lot of smaller parishes have part-time clerks even today. Some small parishes are grouped with others in their area to create a full time job.
Also,surprisingly it is a very well paid job.
acceber