  There is no certainty as to the first institution of this office, though it is probably not so old as that of the Clerk, who in ancient times, summoned the Livery, collected the quarterage and performed various duties which we afterwards find assigned to the Beadle, and we may conclude that in those days he was little more than a Caretaker or “Porter”; indeed, this is the more likely as the latter designation is frequently applied to the Under Beadle in the Records. As the business and numbers of the Company increased, several minor functions of the Clerk were delegated to the Porter or Beadle, who had distinctive duties assigned to him varying with the age in which he lived; among these may be enumerated, sweeping the garden, collecting quarterage, cleaning the Hall, whipping naughty apprentices, summoning freemen, etc., bringing home dead bodies from Tyburn, keeping lists of journeymen, pressing Surgeons and Barbers for sea service, assisting the Masters on search days, hunting up and laying informations against non freemen practising With one exception, the office has been (and properly so) held by freemen, and in the appointment of the Court. In 1626, however, the Lord Keeper sent a letter “recommending” (i.e., commanding) the Company to elect one Gorton, a servant of his, to the place, and Gorton was accordingly chosen. The interference of the King and his great officers in the patronage and appointments vested in the City guilds was carried to great lengths with some of the Companies, and there are amusing accounts extant of the astuteness with which this meddling was sometimes met (vide Herbert’s Livery Companies). Our Company, with the solitary exception above referred to, appears to have been happily free from this species of intervention. Early in the 17th century there were two Beadles of the Clothing, the Under Beadle being often styled the Porter, but about the middle of the 18th century, and since then, one Beadle has sufficed. The Beadle has always had his “house” at the Hall, and used formerly to pay a small quit rent for it. On the dismission of a Beadle for misconduct, a difficulty was sometimes experienced in regaining possession of this house, and Besides the Beadles of the Clothing, there was a Beadle of the Yeomanry, whose duties were analogous to those of his more exalted brethren, and into whose office he frequently stepped when there was a vacancy. The Beadles for many years had a most disagreeable duty to perform, namely, the procuring and bringing home from Tyburn the dead bodies of malefactors. By the Act 32 Hen. VIII, the Company were empowered to have yearly the bodies of four executed felons for “anatomies,” and the practice was for the Beadles to attend at the gallows and select such bodies as they pleased. Their opponents were generally the hangman, who himself trafficked in these uncanny goods, the relatives of the criminal, and the populace who were incited by the relatives to resist the Beadles. Many were the unseemly fights which took place over these bodies, and oftentimes when the Beadles had secured a “subject” and were driving off with it in a coach, they were attacked and beaten, and the body rescued from them. The hangman appears to have been entitled to the dead man’s clothes, for on more than one occasion the Company gave him compensation for them, they having been torn to pieces in the brutal struggle for possession. Moreover the Company had often to satisfy the Coachmen for personal injuries and for damages to their coaches, as well as to give special gratuities to their Beadles by way of solatium for the beatings which they underwent. Frequent prosecutions and convictions followed the interference with the Company’s Officers at these times, and even the Sheriff’s Officers were on one occasion dismissed by the City for having sided against the Beadles. The hangman came to the Hall regularly for his Christmas Box and gave a receipt for the same, sometimes affixing the title “Executioner” after his signature. Many curious particulars relating to the above will be found elsewhere. (Vide Wardens’ Accounts, Surgery, etc.) The Beadle is elected annually by the Court, and resides at the Hall. The two Silver maces pertaining to his office are as handsome and massive as any in the City and are always carried before the Master on Court days. 14th May, 1530. The earliest reference to the Beadle in our Records is to be found in the Ordinances signed by Sir Thomas More, where it is directed that the Members shall take their seniority “according to the trew entrance therof in the Bedyll? Rolle.” 6th November, 1550. Richard Wilson was Beadle at this time. 6th July, 1552. Thomas Appulton, Beadle, vice Wilson deceased. 19th September, 1552. It was agreed that Appulton “shall have his messe of meate on the feaste dayes.” 4th May, 1574. Here was the Wardens of the yeomanry and brought Anthony Hall in to the Courte to be admytted Beadle of the yeomanrye and he was sworne and admytted and fathe(r) Roger(s) put to his penc?on and to geve attendaunce but as he is able. 22nd July, 1577. Richard Rogers, the old Beadle of the Yeomanry, was ordered a gift of 20s. and a yearly pension of 20s. 23rd July, 1582. Robert Norton, Yeomanry Beadle, was authorised to take 2d. of every freeman on his admission, and his yearly salary of 8s. was raised to 26s. 8d. 14th August, 1587. Robert Norton was Livery Beadle. 10th December, 1596. James Hewes (Hughes) was Livery Beadle. 16th June, 1597. John Smith, Livery Beadle. 15th August, 1603. Edward Evans, Livery Beadle. 15th August, 1603. Kellam Clifton appointed Porter or Under Beadle. 21st July, 1608. Edward Blayny, Beadle, was dismissed for behaving himself “very dishonestly.” 14th August, 1617. Kellam Clifton elected Beadle and Edward Presson, Porter. 2nd December, 1617. Clifton was suspended for misbehaviour, but subsequently reinstated. 9th July, 1618. William Chapman elected Porter. 19th February, 1621. Clifton, again misbehaving himself, was dismissed. 14th June, 1621. Humphry Mumford elected Beadle. 3rd July, 1621. Chapman, the Porter, dismissed for using “lewd speeches,” but on his humble submission and craving pardon on his knees, he was reinstated, 10th July, 1621. 20th August, 1621. The Company could not get Clifton out of his house, so they gave him 20s. and a pension of 40s. per annum during good behaviour and the pleasure of the Court. Possibly the “pleasure of the Court” did not extend beyond one year. 15th February, 1626. Edward Gorton (recommended by the Lord Keeper) elected Beadle in place of Mumford. 10th July, 1628. This daye this Court takeing notice of an order made the 3 of Julye, 1621, by wch order Chapman our Porter for his dissolute and deboist carriage was ip~o facto then by that order dismissed of his said place and likewise of an order made in the beginning of oure Mrs tyme for the dismissing of the said Chapman for his misbehavior and upon the generall complaint made unto this Court against the said Chapman for the most parte being drunck misbehaveing himselfe toward? the Mrs and carrieing himselfe soe basely & quarrelsome to the brethren of this Companie and neglecting his duety to this house. It is thereupon ordered that he shall stand dismissed from his said place unlesse at the next Court of Assistant? it doe appeare that he hath left his former carriage of being often drunck & deboistnes. 3rd February, 1634. Gorton requested to be discharged of his office of Beadle in respect of his age and feebleness, and Nathaniel Foster was elected in his place. 25th January, 1637. Chapman, “Under Beadle,” resigned, and was assigned a pension of £4 per annum during pleasure. 25th January, 1637. Edmond Johnson “who writeth very well” was elected Under Beadle. 6th March, 1639. Foster, for his “sawcey carriage unto this Companie” and general neglect of duty, was dismissed. 1659. Francis Johnson was Beadle with a salary of £10, and Peter Smith, Porter, with a salary of £8. 1662. Peter Smith was Beadle, and Thomas Veere, Porter. 23rd June, 1692. Ordered that William Cave be admitted to assist Peter Smith and Jonas Wills the Beadles. 19th July, 1694. Peter Smith was dead; he had been a very zealous servant of the Company. On the first floor landing at the Hall is a pretty piece of heraldic glass in the window with his name and the date 1671. Jonas Wills elected Beadle. 16th August, 1694. William Cave elected Beadle vice Wills deceased. 8th July, 1708. William Cave and Thomas Repton were Beadles. 6th July, 1710. Repton’s widow had £3 given her to bury her late husband. 20th February, 1711. Mr. Gratian Bale (son of Nathan Bale, Citizen and Grocer) who was apprenticed 22nd June, 1669 to Robert Andrewes (Surgeon), and afterwards became an Examiner in Surgery, and Master in 1709, petitioned the Court to be relieved of the office of an Assistant on the ground that he had fallen into decayed circumstances and could not possibly support that dignity, and on And in regard that the sd Mr Bale had been Mar of This Company This Court doth hereby give him leave (asking the consent of the Governors for the time being) to depute some other person to walke before the Company in his stead with the Beadles staffe & gowne upon the Lord Mayors & Elecc?on days. 18th May, 1714. Mr. Bale having become too infirm to execute his office, the Court, in consideration of his past services, appointed William Hardy, Barber, his assistant, at a salary of £10 per annum. 31st July, 1716. William Cave died of a “high fever.” 16th August, 1716. William Watkins and William Hardy elected Beadles, on condition of paying Mr. Bale £10 per annum, which the Court supplemented with another £10. 10th July, 1717. Richard Collins elected Beadle vice Hardy, deceased. 18th August, 1720. It was ordered that in future no man could be qualified to be put in nomination for the office of Beadle if above 40 years of age— in order that the business may from thenceforward be discharged and dispatched with prop? vigour and dexterity and to the honour and profitt of the Company. 13th April, 1721. Watkins being so indisposed as not to be able to perform his duties, Charles Window (who looked after the dead bodies at Tyburn) was ordered to officiate for him. Watkins shortly after lost his speech and got into Ludgate prison, where he had a weekly allowance from the Company—he seems to have remained in prison till his death, 3rd August, 1724. 7th October, 1722. Henry Gretton elected Beadle vice Watkins. 6th November, 1724. Matthew Morris elected Beadle vice Collins, resigned. 30th October, 1732. William Littlebury elected Beadle vice Morris, deceased. 5th June, 1764. John Wells elected Beadle vice Littlebury, resigned on pension. 3rd April, 1787. William Smith elected Beadle vice Wells, deceased. 4th March, 1788. Joseph Wells (son of John Wells) elected Beadle vice Smith, deceased. 6th February, 1798. Jacob Bonwick elected Beadle vice Wells, deceased. 1st March, 1814. William Barnes elected Beadle vice Bonwick. 11th August, 1831. Samuel Borrett elected Beadle vice Barnes (who retired on a pension of £50 per annum). 11th August, 1864. John Heaps (Master in 1855) elected Beadle vice Borrett (who retired on a pension of £50 per annum). 1st July, 1879. Edward Lawless elected Beadle vice Heaps (who retired on a pension of £52 per annum). |
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