Compiled by Michael Russell OPC for Dorchester May 2012 [Last updated Oct 2023]
Serjeants-at-Mace were established with the early Charters granted to the town by the King and they were certainly in place prior to the Charter of 1610 granted by James I which refers to them being already in place within Dorchester. They are also referred to in William Whiteway's diary. Their main function seems to have been ceremonial and to keep order at the meetings of the Corporation but they would also have been called upon in the early years to enforce order if necessary and for this reason holders of the office were often retired soldiers. It is no surprise to find Thomas DEVENISH leaving the position as Serjeant of Mace to take over Dorchester Jail & House of Correction. The history of Dorchester, during the British, Roman, Saxon, and Norman period, with an Account of its present state (by James Allen which was published in 1837) states on page 128 in referring to the Charter granted to Dorchester Corporation by Charles 1st on 22nd Dec 1630, " It shall be lawful for the said Mayor, &c. to have a prison, for keeping and punishing malefactors and other persons attached; and there shall be two Serjeants at Mace, who shall carry before the Mayor gilded or silver maces, adorned with the arms of the Kingdom of England". The following information has been compiled from references made to Serjeants at Mace in the Municipal Records or in local parish registers from which we know about a few of those who held office:-
30 Oct 1622 - Serjeants at Mace to have use of the void room under the bow 'to way in' for one year henceforth; and William Whiteway in his diary of that date confirms the officials elected to the Corporation that year and states 'Joseph WHITTLE was put from his office of Serjeant and Thomas DEVENISH placed in his room' and later in his diary there is reference on 4th December 1626 to 'This day Thomas DEVENISH Serjeant was made keeper of the Common Jaile and Benjamin DERBY chosen Serjeant in his place on the 15th December' 1920 - Kellys Directory shows - George PAYNE Sergeant-at-mace, clerk of the markets & inspector under the Town Police Classes Act, 2 Coronation Terrace Victoria Park The Maces The Municipal Records also have a few entries concerning the Maces:-
16 Jan 1660 - The silver upon the old Maces was this day weighed and it came unto 15oz half and half quarter, which at 5 shillings an ounce comes to £3.18.3d which was intended to bee delivered to Mr. Samuel White's wife towards payment for the new Maces, with 5d more added to it makes £3.18.8d 26 Apr 1661 - It is ordered and agreed that Twenty shillings a man, which shall be lent and advanced to Mr Samuel WHITE's wife by any of this company towards payment for the Maces shall be repaid to them and to every [one] of them out of the first monies that the Town Steward shall receive. 03 July 1661 - paid Mrs WHITE as appeareth forward £5 [i.e. as an advance payment towards the cost] About Michaelmas [i.e.29th September 1661] Mr Savage paid Mrs WHITE in dollars £7.7.0d 04 Oct 1661 - Paid Mrs WHITE more as appeareth forward £4 14 Jun 1727 - Whereas several sums of money have been expended from time to time in repairing the two Maces belonging to the Corporation, and yet by reason of their Antiquity they are now unfit to be amended, Therefore at a meeting of the Mayor, Bailiffs, Aldermen and Burgesses of the said Borough on Wednesday the fourteenth day of June 1727, at the Guildhall of the Borough, It is ordered that Mr Daniel ARDEN Goldsmith do receive into his custody the said old Maces and forthwith dispose of the same for as much money as they will yield, And that he purchase for use of the said Corporation two new Maces, and that he be paid by our Town Steward such a sum as he shall lay out and expend (over and above the money that shall arise by sale of the said old Maces) for the purchase of such two new Maces 19 Nov 1731 - Ordered that Mr Samuel STANNING, gentleman, the Town Steward of the said Borough, do forthwith pay unto Mr Daniel ARDEN the sum of Fifty six pounds for the new Maces lately by him provided for the use of the said Corporation 1804. - Mr George YOUNG his bill for repairing and gilding the Maces £10. carriage to and from London, 5 shillings. Known Holders of the Office of Serjeant's of the Mace for the Borough of Dorchester:-
2. [1622 - 1624] - John CONDUIT [Taylor by trade in 1632] 3. [1625 - 1626] - Thomas DEVENISH [Upholsterer by trade admitted Co Freemen 25 Oct 1621 became keeper of the Common Jaile 1626] 4. [1626 - NK ?] - Benjamin DERBY 5. [in 1670] - William HASSELBURY & Thomas COOPER 6. [circa 1760] - John SHEPPARD 7. [NK ? - 1776] - Thomas POOK 8. [1777 - NK ?] - George CHAFFEY 9. [pre 1790 - 1829] John BENNETT 10. [NK ? - 1794] - William READ 11. [1794 - 1798] - George READ 12. [1798 - NK ?] - James FOY 13. [NK ? - 1828] - John GRAY 14. [1828 - NK ?] - Richard GROVES [Note:- "Richard GROVES Serjeant-at-Mace" also listed as a contact regarding sale of the property of John PITMAN Dorset County Chronicle 30 Dec 1830] 15. [1829 - NK ?] - James HUTCHINS 16. [pre 1875 - 1891] - James Robert England CURTIS 1811-1891] [Note:- Buried at Civic Cemetery aged 81 24 Mar 1891 described as Sergeant at Mace & Hall Keeper] 17. [circa 1895] - George MITCHELL 18. [circa 1915] - William James BENGER 19. [circa 1915] - Sydney CLIST 20. [circa 1931] - W.F. COLLINS |