Chief Bailiff of Hereford

The chief bailiff of Hereford was the most senior secular magistrate in the city of Hereford, England, elected by the citizens of the city annually.[1] The role was equivalent to that of a mayor, and was superseded by that title by letters patent issued by Richard II, King of England, on 15 November, 1383.[1] One of the King's knights, Sir John Burley, had petitioned him for this change.[2] There were typically also two under-bailiffs.[2]

Hereford Cathedral

List of chief bailiffs of Hereford

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Richard Johnson's The Ancient Customs of the City of Hereford (1882) is the only source of a complete list of bailiffs of Hereford.[3][4] The complete list does not appear on any contemporary documents, and it is unclear where Johnson got his information from. Not all the names survive on court rolls.[5]

Date Name
1268 Richard Bisse
1269 Adam Swain
1270 Adam Swain
1271 Walter le Wanter
1272 John Seym[a]
1273 Hugo Seward
1274 Reginald Moniword[b]
1275 Richard Moniword[b]
1276 Richard Moniword[b]
1277 John de Pyon
1278 Thomas de Pyon
1279 John Werrour
1280 John Catchpol[c]
1281 John le Gaunter
1282 Hugo Doreward
1283 John le Suton
1284 John le Gaunter
1285 William Franklyn
1286 William Goudry
1287 John le Gaunter
1288 John le Gaunter
1289 William Framelyn
1290 John le Gaunter
1291 John le Gaunter
1292 Robert de Dyke
1293 Robert de Dyke
1294 Hugo Froue/Troue
1295 John Suton
1296 John Moniword[b]
1297 Hugo Grovey
1298 William Vomaller
1299 John de Stretton
1300 William de Smey
1301 William de Smey
1302 Nicholas Iwayn
1303 Richard Moniword[b]
1304 Hugh Froue/Troue
1307 Richard Moniword[b]
1308 Richard Moniword[b]
1309 Richard Moniword[b]
1310 Richard Moniword[b]
1311 Henry de Orleton[d]
1312 Richard de Cruse
1313 Thomas Tope
1314 William de Orleton[d]
1315 Richard Thurgin
1316 Richard Thurgin
1317 Thomas Tope
1318 Richard Moniword[b]
1319 Philip de Werrour
1320 Richard Moniword[b]
1321 Philip de Werrour
1322 William de Orleton[d]
1323 William de Staunton
1324 William de Orleton[d]
1325 John de Lansale
1326 William Horeman
Date Name
1327 Thomas Cope
1328 Robert de Hompton
1329 Robert de Hompton
1330 Robert de Hompton
1331 Robert de Hompton
1332 Robert de Hompton
1333 Robert de Hompton
1334 John de la Barre
1335 Thomas Thorpe
1336 Walter le Catchpole[c]
1337 Roger Colling
1338 Walter le Catchpole[c]
1339 Walter de la Barre
1340 Walter de la Barre
1341 Robert de Hompton
1342 Robert de Hompton
1343 Nicholas de Bromyard
1344 Richard Aubrey
1345 Richard Aubrey
1346 Nicholas de Bromyard
1347 Nicholas de Bromyard
1348 Nicholas de Bromyard
1349 Richard de Bromyard
1350 Richard de Bromyard
1351 Richard Hamond
1352 Henry Catchpole[c]
1353 John le Bailiff
1354 John le Bailiff
1355 John Field
1356 Bartholomew le Clerk
1357 Henry Catchpole[c]
1358 John le Clerk
1359 Walter de Ailmeston
1360 John Field
1361 Bartholomew le Clerk
1362 Walter Ailmeston
1363 Thomas Don
1364 Walter de Ailmeston
1365 Richard Elliot
1366 John Bailiff
1367 John Blod
1368 William Colling
1369 Henry Catchpole[c]
1370 Richard Elliot
1371 John Blod
1372 Richard Elliot
1373 William Colling
1373 John Goldsmith
1375 Henry Catchpole[c]
1376 William Delamere
1377 Richard Falke
1378 Hugh Osborne
1379 Richard Falke
1380 Richard Palmer
1381 Richard Falke
1382 Richard Falke
1383 Thomas Benger
1384– Mayors of Hereford

Notes

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  1. ^ John Seym was probably the father of William Seym, MP for Hereford in 1305, 1306, and 1311, who received a pardon on 20 June 1293 "for the death of Giles de Burgillun".[6]
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k The Moniword family were the best known wool merchants in the county.[7] John was MP in 1311, 1318 and 1322, Richard in 1326, and a different John in 1384.[6]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Henry Catchpole (Bailiff in 1350 and 1354) was MP for Hereford in 1348, 1351, 1355 and 1357. He had been a wool trader, and died before August 1360. A different Henry Catchpole (Bailiff in 1369 and 1375) was MP for Hereford in 1361, 1366, 1369, 1371, 1378, 1383 and 1386, and Mayor of Hereford between 1384 and 1386. A third Henry Catchpole was MP in 1390.[6][8]
  4. ^ a b c d Related to Richard de Orleton, MP for Hereford in 1306, and Adam Orleton, Bishop of Hereford, Worcester, and Winchester.[6] William was MP for Hereford in 1322, 1324.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "City History". Hereford City Council. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b Woodger, L. S. "The House of Commons 1386-1421: Hereford". The History of Parliament. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  3. ^ Johnson, Richard (1882). The Ancient Customs of the City of Hereford. T. Richards. pp. 230–231. Archived from the original on 22 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Chief Bailiffs". Hereford City Council. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  5. ^ Historical Manuscripts Commission (1892). "The Corporation of Hereford: Court Rolls, to 1509". The Manuscripts of Rye and Hereford Corporations, Etc. Thirteenth Report, Appendix: Part IV. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. pp. 292–302. Archived from the original on 22 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022 – via British History Online.
  6. ^ a b c d e Williams, W. R. (1896). The Parliamentary History of the County of Hereford 1213-1896. pp. 72–79. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  7. ^ Lloyd, T. H. (1977). The English Wool Trade in the Middle Ages. Cambridge University Press. p. 299. ISBN 978-0-521-01721-3. Archived from the original on 22 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  8. ^ Woodger, L. S. "CATCHPOLE, Henry I, of St. Peter's parish, Hereford". History of Parliament. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.