The Parish Clerk

The Parish Clerk (1907)

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Title: The Parish Clerk (1907)
Author: Peter Hampson Ditchfield
Release Date: September 3, 2004 [EBook #13363]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration]
THE PARISH CLERK
BY
P.H. DITCHFIELD
M.A., F.S.A.
WITH THIRTY-ONE ILLUSTRATIONS
_First Published in 1907_.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. OLD-TIME CHOIRS AND PARSONS 1
II. THE ANTIQUITY AND CONTINUITY OF THE OFFICE OF
CLERK 16
III. THE MEDIÆVAL CLERK 31
IV. HIS DUTIES OF READING AND SINGING 48
V. THE CLERK IN LITERATURE 63
VI. CLERKS TOO CLERICAL--SMUGGLING DAYS AND
SMUGGLING WAYS 79
VII. THE CLERK IN EPITAPH 90
VIII. THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF PARISH CLERKS 104
IX. THE CLERKS OF LONDON: THEIR DUTIES AND
PRIVILEGES 115
X. CLERKENWELL AND CLERKS' PLAYS 130
XI. THE CLERKS AND THE PARISH REGISTERS 140
XII. THE CLERK AS A POET 154
XIII. THE CLERK GIVING OUT NOTICES 169
XIV. SLEEPY CHURCH AND SLEEPY CLERKS 179
XV. THE CLERK IN ART 195
XVI. WOMEN AS PARISH CLERKS 201
XVII. SOME YORKSHIRE CLERKS 206

XVIII. AN OLD CHESHIRE CLERK AND SOME OTHER
WORTHIES 225
XIX. THE CLERK AND THE LAW 245
XX. RECOLLECTIONS OF OLD CLERKS AND THEIR WAYS 255
XXI. CURIOUS STORIES 306
XXII. LONGEVITY AND HEREDITY--THE DEACON-CLERKS OF
BARNSTAPLE 318
XXIII. CONCLUSION 333
INDEX 335

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
THE PARISH CLERK. By Thomas Gainsborough, R.A. Frontispiece
From the original in the National Gallery PAGE
THE VILLAGE CHOIR. By Thomas Webster 8 From the original in
the Victoria and Albert Museum THE MEDIÆVAL CLERK: THE
CLERK IN PROCESSION 18 From old engravings THE CLERK
BEARING HOLY WATER AND ASPERGING THE COOK, AND
OTHERS 28 From old engravings THE OLD CHURCH-HOUSES AT
HURST AND UFFINGTON, BERKS 42 _By permission of Messrs.
G.J. Palmer and Sons_
THE CLERK AND PRIEST VISITING THE SICK AND
ADMINISTERING THE LAST SACRAMENT 46 _By permission of
the S.P.C.K._
OLD BECKENHAM CHURCH. By David Cox 60 From the drawing
at the Tate Gallery OLD SCARLETT 98 From "_The Book of Days_"
_By permission of Messrs. W. and R. Chambers, Ltd_.
ENTRANCE TO THE HALL OF THE COMPANY OF PARISH
CLERKS. 104
THE MASTER'S CHAIR AT THE PARISH CLERKS' HALL 106
PORTRAIT OF WILLIAM ROPER, SON-IN-LAW AND
BIOGRAPHER OF SIR THOMAS MORE, BENEFACTOR OF THE

CLERKS' COMPANY 110
THE GRANT OF ARMS TO THE COMPANY OF PARISH CLERKS
111
STAINED GLASS WINDOW AT THE HALL OF THE PARISH
CLERKS' COMPANY, SHOWING PORTRAITS OF JOHN CLARKE
AND STEPHEN PENCKHURST 112
A PAGE OF THE BEDE ROLL OF THE PARISH CLERKS'
COMPANY. 114
THE ORGAN AT THE PARISH CLERKS' HALL 121
A PAGE OF AN EARLY BILL OF MORTALITY PRESERVED AT
THE HALL OF THE PARISH CLERKS' COMPANY 122
INTERIOR OF THE HALL OF THE PARISH CLERKS' COMPANY
126
PORTRAIT OF JOHN CLARKE, PARISH CLERK OF THE
CHURCH OF ST. MICHAEL, CORNHILL 128
OLD MAP OF CLERKENWELL 130
A MYSTERY PLAY AT CHESTER 132 _From a print after a painting
by T. Uwins_
THE DESCENT INTO HELL 136 _From William Hone's "Ancient
Mysteries_"
THE SLEEPING CONGREGATION. By W. Hogarth 182 From an
engraving at the British Museum THE CLERK ATTENDING THE
PRIEST AT HOLY BAPTISM 196 _By permission of the S.P.C.K._
THE DUTIES OF A CLERK AT A DEATH AND FUNERAL 198
_By permission of the S.P.C.K._
THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD. By W. P. Frith 199 _From a
photograph by Messrs. W.A. Mansell and Co_.
PORTRAIT OF RICHARD HUST, THE RESTORER OF THE
CLERKS' ALMSHOUSES 200
THE CHURCH OF ST. MARGARET, WESTMINSTER 210 _After
an engraving from a photograph by Messrs. W.A. Mansell and Co_.
WILLIAM HINTON, A WILTSHIRE WORTHY. Drawn by the Rev.
Julian Charles Young 239 _By permission of Messrs. Macmillan and
Co_.
SUNDAY MORNING. By John Absolon 270 _From a photograph by
Messrs. W.A. Mansell and Co_.
THE PARISH CLERK OF QUEDGELEY 280 By permission of Miss

Isabel Barnett JAMES CARNE, PARISH CLERK OF ST. COLUMB
MINOR, CORNWALL, THE OLDEST LIVING CLERK 320 _From a
photograph by Mr. R.P. Griffith, Newquay_

PREFACE
The race of parish clerks is gradually becoming extinct. Before the
recollection of their quaint ways, their curious manners and customs,
has quite passed away, it has been thought advisable to collect all that
can be gathered together concerning them. Much light has in recent
years been thrown upon the history of the office. The learned notes
appended to Dr. Wickham Legg's