Sextons and Parish Clerks
Sextons.
Before 1907 the Sexton was the Assistant to the parish clerk. He was the keeper of the things required for divine service he looked after the vestments and the vessels, he also rang the calling bell, kept the church clean and was responsible for opening and closing the doors He had to take care of the churchyard and dig the graves. This position was often appointed by the church wardens it carried a salary as a fixed sum for each burial. Often the same person occupied the position as verger. We have not found any female family Sextons but an article in magazine “The Mirror” dated Saturday January 10 1846 clearly mentions one in Claines, Worcestershire.
“...I entered and introduced myself to the female sexton...” (Edward Marshall was born in Claines in 1850)
Family Sextons
Charles PRATT [5252] St Nicholas, Warwick, Warwickshire from 1851
George Guy STANDLEY [5442] St Nicholas, Warwick, Warwickshire in 1891
Thomas LOWE [8944] St Barnabas, Worcester, Worcestershire 1901
Thomas SAYWELL [11958] Great Milton, Oxfordshire (also parish clerk)
James SAYWELL [11959] Great Milton, Oxfordshire (son of Thomas)
Robert MORTIMER [11956] Cuddesdon,Oxfordshire (son of the parish clerk Robert MORTIMER [11946] brother of parish clerk Charles MORTIMER [12035])
Parish Clerks.
Over time the role played by the Parish Clerk has changed today the Clerk acts as secretary to the PCC but at the foundation of The London Guild of Parish Clerks in 1232, he was next in line to the incumbent. The duties were, reading the lessons and epistles, singing in the choir, giving out the hymns, leading the responses, serving at the altar and other like duties, opening of the church, ringing the bell, digging graves if there be no sexton. The clerks often wrote up the parish registers although this was illegal most all kept there own paper copy (some of these copies still remain and can prove helpful). They were often called on to witnessed marriages. The post was salaried and held for long periods often handed down through generations of the same family.
Occasionally the payment took the form of accommodation. This can be seen in this quote from White’s Devonshire Directory of 1878 for Beaford.“The parish clerk has the free use of a house and six acres of land”. Beaford is the main Devon village where our DYMENT line originate.
In 1603 Canon 91 stated concerning the appointment of Parish Clerk
"They should be at least 20 years old. Known to the parson as a man of honest conversation and sufficient for his reading, writing and competent skill in singing" (from 1672 women were able to hold the post but as yet we have not found any within our family).
Parish Clerks were also often involved in the education of the children of the Parish. See Yarnton
Family Parish Clerks
Joseph ELLARD [992] Hampton Poyle, Oxfordshire 1823-
Jeremiah EDMONDS [6598] Hampton Poyle 1858 (marriage of daughter Catharine)
John GILES [1044] Hampton Poyle, Oxfordshire 1858-
William ELLARD [5136] Willoughby, Warwickshire. 1841-
Thomas CHARLETT [8712]Yarnton, Oxfordshire 1817-
Gabriel CHARLETT [6618] Yarnton, Oxfordshire ?-
James CHARLETT [6617] Yarnton, Oxfordshire ?-
Charles PRATT [5252] St Nicholas, Warwick, Warwickshire from 1861
Thomas MORBY [9784] St Mary Broughton Oxfordshire 1837-
His burial record reads “May 9 1879 MORBY Thomas Parish Clerk since 1837 77 years” which implies he was still in office when he died and served for 42 years . He is described on the 1871 census as a 69 year old widower a road surveyor and Church clerk.
George COGGINS [11877] Cuddesdon, Oxfordshire
William COGGINS [11903] Middleton Stoney, Oxfordshire son of George. Dutton, Allen & Co’s directory & gazetteer of the counties of Oxon, Bucks... for 1863 for Middleton Stoney “COGGINS William stone mason and parish clerk”
Robert MORTIMER [11946] Cuddesdon, Oxfordshire -
Charles MORTIMER [12040] Cuddesdon, Oxfordshire son of Robert [11946]
Thomas SAYWELL [11958] Great Milton, Oxfordshire Dutton, Allen & Co’s directory & gazetteer of the counties of Oxon, Bucks... for 1863 for Great Milton, “Saywell Thomas, parish clerk and sexton”