The final part ofa Constables’ responsibilities, begins with one of the most feared things that affected a community in 1734.
PLAGUE
Thanks for reading Alan’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
The Constable had the unenviable task of telling those who had visible infectious sores to shut themselves inside their houses and not to leave them until they were either recovered or dead. If they were caught leaving their house, their bodies would be examined and if they carried sores they were to be whipped as vagrants. You don’t get that on the NHS.
JP’s or Mayors were responsible for appointing “Searchers, Watchmen and Buriers of Persons infected.”
A will of a slightly earlier period, made in 1645, by a William Crouch of Radley gives an idea pf what it must have been like for those with plague. The will is what is called nuncupative which means that it was not written down but expressed verbally to witnesses. Presumably, the witnesses will have listened from outside the house while the Testator stated his wishes from behind a door or window, knowing that he would, in all probability be dead within days.
This is how the grant of Probate describes the will :-
“Memorandum That William Crouch late of Radley in the county of Berks deceased about a week next before his death which had happened in the month of September anno domini 1645 he the said William Crouch being then in his house in Radley which was visited with the plague and by reason thereof was shut up being in health and of perfect mind and memory and with an intent to make his Will and to settle and dispose of his estate Did by word of mouth declare his Will and mind to be as followeth and in the words following or in words to the like effect viz. My will is that after my decease my daughter Catherine speaking of or meaning Catherine Crouch daughter in law of the said deceased being the widow of one Matthew Crouch who while he lived was the son of the said William Crouch deceased shall after my decease have all my estate or all I have Which words or the like in effect the said William Crouch deceased did then utter with an intent that the same should stand and be as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence and hearing of Anne Hunt Edward Curtis and other creditable witnesses.”
The two witnesses signed the memorandum and Probate was granted to William’s widow Mary. I wonder if the reason she was not mentioned in the will is because he assumed they would both die?
POPISH RECUSANTS
These are what we would know as Catholics. Whereas the Constables duties seem to have involved whipping for most local offences, this was one punishment that Catholics did not have to endure on account of their religion. Mind you they did face considerable discrimination that had to be legally enforced by the Constable. If they did not attend Church of England services, once a month, they were fined the colossal sum of £20 per month.
As well as taking an oath acknowledging the King’s supremacy in respect of religious matters, papists were to register their estates on pain of forfeiture and were banned from purchasing land and no land was to pass between papists by deed or will without it being enrolled. Fortunately, women were exempt from these provisions so many of the landed families escaped the worst excesses of the above by retaining estates in female relatives or in the hands of Trustees.
MILITIA
“Monies charged upon any Person by the Lord Lieutenant or his Deputies for the providing of Arms for Horse and Foot Soldiers in the Militia, are to be levied by Constables……. Horsemen are to be provided with a Broad Sword, a Case of Pistols, of twelve inches long in the Barrel, a Carbine, with Belt and Bucket, Great saddle etc. And Foot Soldiers with a Musket five Foot long in the Barrel the Gage of the Bore for Bullets of twelve to the Pound with a Bayonet to fix in the Muzzle, a Cartouche Box and a Sword”
WATCHMEN
Night Watchmen were also the Constable’s responsibility. The Compleat Parish Officer says that in towns, they are “to cause Night Watches to be set from Sun-set to Sun-rising, with 4 men or more……. Who must be able-Persons, Inhabitants of the Place, and watch by turns……. These Watchmen are to apprehend Night-Walkers, Vagabonds, Persons going Armed etc. and they may arrest Strangers in the Night …”
PRESENTMENTS
At Quarter Sessions, Constables made what were called Presentments on Oath of “all things within their Knowledge against the peace and relating to their Offices, as Affrays, Bloodsheds, Bridges out of Repair, Cottages erected contrary to Law, Drunkenness, Gaming-houses, Felonies, Forestallers etc, Nuisances, Disturbers of the Peace, Popish Recusants, Rescues, false Weights and measures etc. and generally all other Things mention’d in the particular Oath of Constables.”
CONCLUSION
The above gives just a small sample of his responsibilities and, by now, you have probably realized that a Constable’s lot was not a happy one. He also had the responsibility for collecting unpopular taxes. In the 1730’s it was Parish Rates, Land Tax and Excise fines but in earlier periods it had also been Hearth Tax and Window Tax. He will not have been a popular man, and it is no surprise that, in the early days, many paid to avoid the position, particularly as there were heavy fines on any Constable for neglecting any of his many duties. Why then did people do it? Power and influence it certainly brought with it, along with connections to those high up in Society. The Constable was appointed by the J.P.’s for an area so, for many, it was the first step in a career in Civil Administration and something that would look good on any 18th Century Curriculum Vitae. The system had worked tolerably well through the Middle Ages and the Tudor and Stuart periods but it was to prove totally unworkable following the Industrial revolution when the functions would be devolved to a Police force and Local Authorities
Alan Crutch
24th August 2024
Thanks for reading Alan’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.