In message <001301c4f123$e22d5e70$0203a8c0@HIDEAKI>, Hideaki Inui
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>In this case , I wonder if you could tell the role of 'Constables' at the
>general Sessions.
Hope this will help - taken from one of our Local History articles
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The Statute of Westminster
This act was passed in 1285 and formalised the custom for a village
or town to be responsible for its own law and order. This custom had
been in effect since early Saxon days but this act gave it the force
of law.
Among other things it established the system of 'hue and cry' whereby
any person who detected an offence could call upon all the other
villagers
to join in making the arrest, if necessary by chasing the accused
across country in a manner reminiscent of a fox hunt.
It also set a requirement on all men between the ages of 15 and 60
to provide themselves with arms according to their rank. These were
to enable them to keep the peace but it also served as the basis for
the local militia. The High Constables in each Hundred were supposed
to inspect the arms every year.
Frankpledge
From mediaeval times until well into the 19th century the laws were
enforced by a system known as Frankpledge. In this system each man
within a village was allocated to a tithing and each member of a tithing
had a duty to ensure that all the other members kept on the straight
and narrow.
The tithing consisted of ten men and if any member was accused of
an offence the other nine could be called to account if he did not
turn up in court. If he was not a member of a tithing then the whole
village or town where he lived would have to pay any fines.
The tithing would frequently appoint one of their number as their
spokesman and he became known as the "Tithingman" In later years a
single tithingman for Purley was appointed at the annual Court Leet.
The Constable
The office of Constable is one of the oldest in the land. Initially
they were appointed by the Courts Leet on an annual basis and most
villagers had to take their turn at a job which was very unpopular.
The appointment had to be confirmed by the local Justices of the Peace
but this was usually automatic.
An Act of 1842 transferred the responsibility for the appointment
to the Parish Vestry but after the formation of the Police force the
job became a full time salaried position.
Among his duties were:-
Ensuring the provision of means of punishment and imprisonment.
This included maintaining the stocks.
Inspecting ale houses
Apprenticing pauper children
Removing itinerant strangers and beggars
Seeing to the welfare of the poor
Collecting the rates
Making sure everyone had their weapons in order.
Convening Parish meetings
Assisting the churchwardens to enforce attendance at church
Caring for the Parish Bull
Wherever possible the person appointed used to get someone else to
do this job for him but it was a considerable burden whether on his
own time or his pocket. In 1662 however an Act was passed which enabled
him to levy a parish rate for the purpose.
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regards
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John Chapman
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