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Early aldermen

Pages 235-237

The Aldermen of the City of London Temp. Henry III - 1912. Originally published by Corporation of the City of London, London, 1908.

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Citation:

EARLY ALDERMEN.

The succession of Aldermen in the foregoing Ward Lists is traced back to the early years of the reign of Edward I., with the exception of Portsoken, where the Aldermanry was held ex officio by the Priors of Holy Trinity, Aldgate, the names of whom can be obtained from an earlier date. Of the 23 other Wards existing at that time, I have begun with the year 1276 in the case of fourteen; in three (Bishopsgate, Castle Baynard and Walbrook), the earliest date given is 1277, in one (Broad Street) 1278, in two (Bassishaw and Lime Street) 1279, and in three (Cheap, Coleman Street and Cornhill), 1282. These are the earliest dates to which it is possible from the Corporation records to carry back a practically unbroken succession.

The Liber Trinitatis (I. fo. 57 b), shows that John de Northampton was acting for Aldgate as early as the year 1268–9 (when W. Hervey and W. de Durham were Sheriffs). From the same source (the references being to the transcript in the Guildhall Library), I have found the following Aldermen of the Wards named below at the dates indicated:

Aldgate Gilbert Fitzfulk (I. 32 b, 73 b), at some date (not given), between 1221 and 1250 (when Richard was Prior of Holy Trinity).
Gervase (I. 28 b), between 1250 and 1260 (when John was Prior).
Bassishaw Hugh Cabur (III. 537 b), no date.
Richard de Walbrook (III. 538 b), in 1262–3.
[He was Sheriff in the preceding year, 1261–2.]
Billingsgate Ralph Sperling (I. 230 b), in 1243.
Bridge Richard Renger (I. 217, 233 b), in 1225–7 and 1230.
[He was Sheriff 1220–2, Mayor 1223–7 and 1238–9, dying in office.]
Cheap William Fitz Benet (II. 425 b), in 1220–1.
Adam Basing (II. 416 b, 414 b), in 1251–2 and in 1258.
[He was Sheriff 1243–4 and Mayor 1251–2.]
Thomas Fitz Thomas (II, 428 b), in 1264–5.
[He was Sheriff 1257–8, Mayor 1261–5.]
Walter Hervey was deposed from the Aldermanry of Cheap, May 29, 1274 (Chronicle of Mayors and Sheriffs, p. 174).
[He was Bailiff 1265–6 and Mayor 1271–3.]
Cornhill Roger Fitz Roger (II, 278 b), in 1254–5.
[He was Mayor 1240–50.]
Walter Poter (II. 267 b), in 1271–2.
[He was Sheriff 1270–1 and 1272–3, and died in 1280.]
Cripplegate William de Haverhill (III. 508 b), in 1203–4.
Andrew Bukerel (III. 521 b), in the Mayoralty of R. Renger (1223–7 or 1238–9).
[He was Sheriff 1223–4 and Mayor 1231–7, dying in office.]
Bartholomew Capel (III. 519 b), in 1270–1.
Farringdon Joce Fitz Peter (III. 613 b), no date.
(Ludgate & Newgate) [He was Sheriff 1211–2.]
Langbourn John Travers (II. 295 b), in 1220–1.
[He was Sheriff 1215–6 and 1223–5.]
Matthew Bukerel (II, 297 b), in 1269–70.
[He was Sheriff 1255–6 and in February 1257.]
Tower John Adrien (I. 146) in 1253–4.
[He was Sheriff 1258–9 and 1265–8; Mayor 1270–1, and was father of John Adrien, Alderman of Walbrook and Sheriff 1277–8.]
Vintry John de Gisors (II. 355 b) in 1266–8.
[Sheriff 1240–1 and 1245; Mayor 1245–6 and 1258–9, probably father of John de Gisors, Alderman of this Ward 1282–96.]
Walbrook Simon Fitz Mary (II. 364 b) no date.
Alexander le Ferrun (II. 369 b) in 1253.
Le Ferrun was elected to succeed Fitz Mary (who had been deprived of his Aldermanry) March 8, 1249 (the Monday before MidLent) and was admitted a week later, March 15 [Chronicle of Mayors and Sheriffs, page 17].
[The Ward for which Fitz Mary and Le Ferrun served is not definitely stated, but each acted as Alderman of the Ward in which property lying in the parish of St. John's Walbrook, was situated, (II. 364 b, 366 b) and Ferrun also for the parish of St. Mary Woolchurch. Each of these parishes comprised portions of four different Wards, but Walbrook is the only one common to both.]

The late Mr. J. J. Stocken, whose MSS. collections are in the Guildhall Library, gives the following names as those of successive Aldermen of the Ward, afterwards known as Farringdon:—

James Blund, in 1225.

Laurence de Frowyk, in 1252–3 [Sheriff 1246–7 and 1251–2].

Richard de Ewell, in 1259 [Sheriff 1256–7].

Adam de Bruning [Sheriff 1259–60.]

He quotes the Liber Trinitatis as his authority, but I have not been able to verify the statement; Blund appears as acting for the parish of St. Martin Outwich in Liber Trinitatis III., 572 b, and this parish included portions of Bishopsgate and Broad Street, but not Farringdon.

Mr. Stocken also gives John Tolesan as Alderman of Walbrook, but he was certainly acting for another Ward in 1253, during his Mayoralty, when Alexander le Ferrun was serving for Walbrook.

The following names occur in the Liber Trinitatis as Aldermen of Wards in which property was situated in the parishes appended to their names; I have added in brackets the Wards comprised in those parishes.

Robert le Blund (II. 303 b), St. Clement Candlewick (Candlewick and Langbourn), at some date between 1221 and 1248.

Thomas de Dureme (fn. 1) (II. 302 b), St. Clement Candlewick (Candlewick and Langbourn), at some date between 1221 and 1248.

Joce Junior (fn. 2) (II. 323 b), St. Mary Abchurch (Candlewick and Walbrook) at some date between 1221 and 1248.

John Viel (fn. 3) (III. 461 b), St. Nicholas Coleabbey (Bread Street and Queenhithe) at some date between 1221 and 1248.

Peter Aungier (fn. 4) (III. 576 b) St. Martin Outwich (Bishopsgate and Broad Street) in 1262–3.

Walter de Insula (III. 577 b) St. Martin Outwich (Bishopsgate and Broad Street) no date.

Peter le Blund (fn. 5) (I. 135 b) St. Olave Tower (Aldgate and Tower) no date.

Footnotes

  • 1. Sheriff 1241–2.
  • 2. Sheriff 1220–1.
  • 3. Sheriff 1218–20.
  • 4. Sheriff 1264–5.
  • 5. Constable of the Tower in 1249–50 (Chronicle of Mayors and Sheriffs, page 18). He was probably Alderman of Tower Ward. It may be assumed that the successive Mayors were Aldermen at the dates of election and most of the Sheriffs either when elected or shortly afterwards, but I have not, except in the cases mentioned above, succeeded in finding any evidence which would enable me to assign them definitely to particular Wards or even to justify a suggestion as to those for which they respectively served.