Dorchester

Governors of the Company of Freemen 1621-1824(1)

Transcribed by Michael Russell OPC for Dorchester November 2009
from The Municipal Records of the Borough of Dorchester by CH Mayo MA 1908
Link to Company of Freemen Charters & Bye Laws

(Last updated April 2020 - 100 Records)


Governors of the Company of Freemen 1621-1824
1621 - John HILL
1622 - John BLACHFORD
1623 - Joseph PATIE
1624 - William WHITEWAY (the younger) 'The Diarist'
1625 - John COKE
1626 - Henry DERBY
1627 - John LONG [Note Senior]
1628 - Richard BURY
1629 - John LONG (first Governor under the Charter of 5 Charles I) [Note:- Senior]
1630 - John COKE
1631 - Joseph PATYE
1632 - Henry MABER
1633 - Edward DASHWOOD
1634 - Robert COKER
1637 - John DASHWOOD
1646 - John LONG [Note; Junior]
1647 - Thomas SYMONDS
1648 - Phillip STANSBY
1651 - Lawrence RIGHTON
1652 - Phillip STANSBY
1653 - Thomas CLENCH
1654 - Arthur GOULD
1655 - William PITT
1656 - William WHITE
1657 - Joseph SEAWARD [SEWARD]
1658 - Benjamin GOULD
1659 - Johesph WHITTELL
1660 - William POLDON
1662 - Henry SYMES
1664 - Robert LILLINGTON
1665 - John OLDIS
1666 - William HARDY
1667 - Thomas SEAWARD
1668 - Walter HEWETT
1669 - Thomas BLANDFORD
1670 - Daniel ARDEN
1671 - John SYMONDS
1672 - CHAPMAN
1673 - Josiah WYER
1674 - Robert COSSINS
1675 - Charles STOODLY
1676 - Thomas BEDFORD
1679 - Maximillian GOLLOP
1681 - Edward DASHWOOD
1683 - John NELSON
1684 - John CADROW
1685 - Richard COOPER
1686 - Daniel ARDEN
1687 - Hugh CRODE
1688 - Edward LESTER
1689 - Thomas ATKINS (Note:- buried St Peters 23rd Jan 1739/40)
1690 - John GAYLARD

1691 - Joseph GOULD
1692 - Francis GAYLARD
1693 - Robert POPE
1694 - Bartholomew HOARE
1695 - William DRY
1696 - John LONG
1697 - John CLAPCOTT (Jan)
1698 - Robert BUNN (Jan)
1699 - Thomas KNAPTON (Jan)
1700 - Robert SWAFFEILD (Dec)
1701 - Josiah COOPER (Nov)
1702 - Joshuah SNOOKE (Nov)
1703 - Matthew HILSON (Dec)
1704 - Samuel SNOOKE (Jan)
1705 - Nicholas WARREN (Nov)
1706 - Robert GUNDRY (Jan)
1707 - Isaac WILLIAMS (Oct)
1708 - William TURNER (Nov)
1709 - Sebastian HUNT (Oct)
1710 - Robert GAYLARD (Nov)
1711 - John KELLAWAY (Nov)
1712 - Francis HAMLYN (Nov)
1713 - John BRINE (Nov)
1714 - John BATTEN (Oct)
1715 - Thomas GAPE (Dec)
1715/6 - Joshua SNOOKE (Feb)
1717 - Matthew HILSON (May)
1718 - Samuel SNOOKE
1719 - Sebastian HUNT
1720 - Joshua SNOOKE (and 3 following years)
1725 - John BRINE gent
1727 - Thomas GAPE gent (and 6 following years)
1734 - John BRYNE Sep 30
1736 - John BRYNE gent Oct 4 (and 3 following years)
1740 - Mr Emanuel CHAPMAN Oct 6 (and 9 following years)(2)
1749-50 - John WHITE Jan 24
1750 - John WHITE Oct 1 ( and 15 following years)
1766 - George STICKLAND Aug 27 (and until Oct 5th 1801)(3)
1801 - George STICKLAND junior gent his son Oct 5 (and until Oct 3 1814)
1814 - Nathaniel STICKLAND gent Oct 3
1815 - Nathaniel STICKLAND gent Oct 2
1816 - George STICKLAND gent Sept 30 (and until circa Feb 12 1824)
1824 - Christopher ARDEN gent Feb 12 (and until Oct 4 1824)(4)
1824 - Joseph STONE gent Oct 4 and annually until Oct 6 1834 when he was elected for the last time and had no successor.

Genealogical Notes:-
(1). Comments made by Mayo about the listing in 1908 - This list , which is not perfect, is compiled from Minute Books C7, C9, C14a, C23, C27, C28 and from one certificate of election 1749 (b 49) and vfive others 1766-1824 (B50) On the 7th January 1685 is a minute relating to "mr John CADROW the late Governor who is according to the custom elected Receiver of the Company for the year ensuing".

(2). Emanuel CHAPMAN died in office and John WHITE was elected 24 January 1749-50 (ref B49)

(3). George STICKLAND was elected 27th August 1766 vice John WHITE deceased

(4). Christopher ARDEN was elected 12th February 1824 vice George STICKLAND deceased - These long terms of office suggest that the post had become a sinecure

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