1798 Posse Comitatus |
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The Posse Commitatus contains references to
William
Clark as
a
William Clark Jnr; Wheelwright, and as a Wheelwright, and as a Labourer
Background
The Posse Comitatus, or civil power,
was a survey of all men capable of acting in a military capacity who were not
either Quakers, clergymen or already serving in a military unit. Men between
the ages of 15 and 60 were included. In addition, the number of horses, wagons
and carts available were surveyed.
The first such survey appears to
have been conducted by Dorset in 1797. The publicity that followed caused several
other counties to conduct similar surveys. It was at the initiative of the lord
lieutenant, the Marquess of Buckingham, that the Buckinghamshire survey was
conducted. The work was directed by John Penn, High Sheriff. He issued instructions
on 16 February 1798. Returns were due by 5 March.
The survey was conducted against
the background of war with revolutionary France, and the risk of invasion by
French forces. By February 1798, Britain had been at war with France for five
years.
Buckinghamshire is the only county
for which a complete copy of the Posse Comitatus exists. In fact there are two
surviving copies. One is in the British Library and the other in the Buckinghamshire
Record Office. It seems likely that the Buckinghamshire record office copy was
a working compilation from parish returns, and the British Library copy a presentation
version.
The following is a complete list
of the 265 Hanslope men in the Posse Comitatus.
| Person |
Occupation
and Comments |
| John Goodman |
Baker |
| Charles Bishop |
Butcher |
| Richard Whitbread |
Taylor |
| William Gregory |
Taylor |
| Reuben Gregory |
Taylor |
| John Gregory |
Taylor |
| George Gregory |
Taylor |
| Freeman Gregory |
Taylor |
| Harry West |
Baker |
| William Branson |
William Branson Jnr; Mason |
| William Goodman |
Baker |
| Thomas Smith |
Mason |
| John Crick |
Baker |
| Chales Charles |
Baker |
| John Busbey |
Baker |
| John Warwick |
Butcher |
| John Manning |
Butcher |
| James Manning |
Butcher |
| Jethro Inwood |
Butcher |
| John Gray |
Butcher |
| Francis Calcutt |
Staymaker |
| James Manning |
Baker |
| Thomas Garratt |
Blacksmith |
| Richard Chambers |
Labourer |
| Henry Willaby |
Turner |
| William Grace |
Turner |
| Thomas Billing |
Turner |
| George Frost |
Glover |
| John Frost |
Carpenter |
| George Cox |
Carpenter |
| Thomas Billing |
Carpenter; Constable |
| William Branson |
Mason |
| William Garratt |
Blacksmith |
| William Allen |
Butcher |
| John Garratt |
Blacksmith |
| Edward Elliott |
Blacksmith |
| William Tompkins |
Victualler |
| John Hutchings |
Victualler |
| John Holloway |
Victualler |
| Thomas Barratt |
Victualler |
| Thomas Allibone |
Victualler |
| Benjamin Inwood |
Gardener |
| John Alsop |
Gardener |
| Goerge Higgins |
Blacksmith |
| Thomas Hindes |
Lace Dealer |
| William Caves |
Butcher |
| John Caplon |
Farmer |
| John Barratt |
Farmer |
| Joseph Atterbury |
Farmer |
| Thomas Adams |
Farmer |
| Matthew Adams |
Farmer |
| John Adams |
Farmer |
| Richard Simons |
Lace Dealer |
| Thomas Crick |
Thomas Crick Jnr; Deformed; Farmer |
| Charles Leaver |
Lace Dealer |
| George Gaudern |
Farmer |
| Joseph Hindes |
Joseph Hindes Jnr, Lace Dealer |
| Joseph Hindes |
Lace Dealer |
| Henry Dawson |
Apothecary |
| William Singleton |
Revd; Minister |
| Joseph Leaver |
Lace Dealer |
| James Neal |
Farmer |
| William Allen |
Butcher |
| John Aldridge |
Butcher |
| James Fretter |
Dealer |
| James Bishop |
Maltster |
| James Whitbread |
Farmer |
| John Webb |
Farmer |
| Samuel Tarry |
Farmer |
| John Stimson |
Farmer |
| James Crick |
Farmer |
| Thomas Stanton |
Farmer |
| Thomas Calcutt |
Staymaker |
| William Kitelee |
Farmer |
| John Kitelee |
Farmer |
| Daniel Kitelee |
Farmer |
| John Kilpin |
Farmer |
| William Hillyer |
Farmer |
| Esmy Edward Hall |
Farmer |
| Thomas Gaudern |
Farmer |
| Thomas Gaudern |
Farmer |
| Richard Gaudern |
Farmer |
| Thomas Stanton |
Thomas Stanton Jnr; Farmer |
| Joseph Sparkes |
Servant |
| William Linham |
Servant |
| Richard |
Servant to Mr Hall |
| John |
Servant To Thomas Adams |
| William York |
Servant |
| Joseph York |
Servant |
| John Wilson |
Servant |
| George Webb |
Servant |
| George Walinger |
Servant |
| John Abbey |
Labourer |
| John Tarry |
Servant |
| Matthew Adams |
Labourer |
| Stephen Slimson |
Servant |
| Henry Ratnett |
Servant |
| William Rainbow |
Servant |
| Daniel Rainbow |
Servant |
| James Nichols |
Servant |
| William Newberry |
Servant |
| William Neal |
Servant |
| Richard Munday |
Servant |
| Richard Willaby |
Turner |
| Benjamin Tomson |
Servant |
| John Brice |
Labourer |
| Thomas Caves |
Labourer |
| James Carter |
Labourer |
| James Carter |
Labourer |
| Thomas Cadmuns |
Labourer |
| John Burbidge |
Labourer |
| John Buckmaster |
Labourer |
| William |
Servant to Mr Lever |
| William Brooks |
Labourer |
| John Linham |
Servant |
| Matthew Birt |
Labourer |
| Thomas Benson |
Labourer |
| Christopher Banks |
Labourer |
| William Attwood |
Labourer |
| Benjamin Atterbury |
Labourer |
| John Amos |
Labourer |
| Thomas Aldridge |
Labourer |
| George Aldridge |
Labourer |
| Thomas Adkins |
Labourer |
| William Brooks |
William Brooks Jnr; Labourer |
| John Mills |
Cordwainer |
| Thomas Mills |
Servant |
| Thomas Whitebread |
Cordwainer |
| Daniel Whitebread |
Cordwainer |
| William Sterman |
Cordwainer |
| William Richards |
Cordwainer |
| George Richards |
Cordwainer |
| John Peach |
Cordwainer |
| George Peach |
Cordwainer |
| John Stones |
Lacemaker |
| Thomas Paine |
Cordwainer |
| Samuel Stones |
Lacemaker |
| Richard Latemore |
Cordwainer |
| William Key |
Cordwainer |
| Samuel Garratt |
Cordwainer |
| Thomas French |
Cordwainer |
| John Elliott |
Cordwainer |
| John Mills |
Pillar maker |
| James Folkes |
Plumber |
| Joseph Allen |
Plumber |
| William Calcutt |
Staymaker |
| William Parker |
Cordwainer |
| William Clark |
William Clark Jnr; Wheelwright |
| William Kingston |
Servant |
| William Judge |
Servant |
| Thomas Horn |
Servant |
| William Frost |
Servant |
| William Ditum |
Servant |
| Henry Cook |
Servant |
| Samuel Clifton |
Servant |
| Thomas Clark |
Servant |
| John Panter |
Lacemaker |
| Robert Meakin |
Ragman; Cripple |
| William Clark |
Wheelwright |
| Joseph Clark |
Wheelwright |
| James Herbert |
Higler |
| Joseph Gregory |
Grocer |
| John France |
Grocer |
| Amos Chinner |
Amos Chinner Jnr; Grocer |
| Amos Chinner |
Grocer |
| Robert Butlin |
Grocer |
| John Woodland |
Lacemaker |
| William Burditt |
Servant |
| Elisha Bull |
Labourer |
| Christopher Clark |
Labourer |
| William Brown |
Labourer |
| Richard Herbert |
Labourer |
| John Keen |
Labourer |
| James Haines |
Labourer |
| Thomas Hakes |
Labourer |
| Daniel Sturges |
Labourer |
| William Stanton |
Labourer |
| Thomas Stanton |
Labourer |
| Jacob Herbert |
Labourer |
| William Geary |
Labourer |
| John Herbert |
Labourer |
| Daniel Gaybel |
Labourer |
| Thomas Herbert |
Labourer |
| John Hickerson |
Labourer |
| William Hickerson |
Labourer |
| William Hicks |
Labourer |
| William Hindes |
Labourer |
| Jethro Inwood |
Labourer |
| Thomas Frost |
Labourer |
| William Wallinger |
Labourer |
| Joseph Woodland |
Labourer |
| Joseph Woodland |
Labourer |
| John Woodland |
Labourer |
| Thomas Tebbett |
Labourer |
| Benjamin Wood |
Labourer |
| William Kingstone |
Labourer |
| William Whitehead |
Labourer |
| William Goade |
Labourer |
| John Webb |
Labourer |
| William Smith |
Labourer |
| Shadrack Travil |
Labourer |
| James Travel |
Labourer |
| Benjamin Thompson |
Labourer |
| William Tebby |
Labourer |
| Thomas Tebbit |
Labourer |
| William Garlick |
Labourer |
| John Garratt |
Labourer |
| Thomas Webb |
Labourer |
| Richard Morris |
Labourer |
| Benjamin Stanton |
Labourer |
| Joseph Nichols |
Labourer |
| James Nichols |
Labourer |
| William Neal |
Labourer |
| Samuel Neal |
Labourer |
| Samuel Neal |
Labourer |
| Nathaniel Neal |
Labourer |
| William Nichols |
Labourer |
| John Munday |
Labourer |
| Thomas Osborn |
Labourer |
| William Mills |
Labourer |
| William Mills |
Labourer |
| William Marriott |
Labourer |
| Thomas Marriott |
Labourer |
| Bejamin Marriott |
Labourer |
| William Linchum |
Labourer |
| Matthew Lane |
Labourer; One Eye |
| Nathaniel Neal |
Labourer |
| William Salisbury |
Labourer |
| Thomas Smith |
Labourer |
| Joseph Key |
Labourer |
| Thomas Key |
Labourer |
| John Kingstone |
Labourer |
| Benjamin Smith |
Labourer |
| William Simons |
Labourer; One Eye |
| James Simons |
Labourer |
| Thomas Nichols |
Labourer |
| John Scott |
Labourer |
| Abraham Woodland |
Labourer |
| John Roddis |
Labourer |
| John Rainbow |
Labourer |
| John Paxton |
Labourer |
| Joseph Panter |
Labourer |
| John Panter |
Labourer |
| Charles Panter |
Labourer |
| Thomas Paine |
Labourer |
| Edward Seal |
Labourer |
| Charles Frost |
Labourer; Lame |
| John Elliott |
Labourer |
| Thomas Clifton |
Labourer |
| Thomas Clark |
Labourer |
| William Clark |
Labourer |
| Benjamin Wills |
Labourer |
| John Downing |
Labourer |
| Benjamin Downing |
Labourer |
| Edward Ditum |
Labourer |
| John Frost |
Labourer |
| Thomas Denton |
Labourer |
| John Denton |
Labourer |
| Samuel Crick |
Labourer |
| George Crick |
Labourer |
| James Cook |
Labourer |
| Thomas Clifton |
Labourer |
| Samuel Woodland |
Labourer |
| Thomas Woodland |
Labourer |
| Joseph Frost |
Labourer |
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The following is a list of persons
keeping horses in Hanslope from the Posse Comitatus.
| Persons |
Horses |
Waggons |
Carts |
| John Adams |
5 |
1 |
2 |
| Matthew Adams |
5 |
1 |
3 |
| Thomas Adams |
5 |
1 |
2 |
| John Barratt |
5 |
2 |
3 |
| John Caplon |
5 |
1 |
2 |
| Thomas Gaudern |
4 |
1 |
2 |
| John Goodman |
1 |
- |
1 |
| Esmy Edward Hamm |
6 |
1 |
3 |
| John Kilpin |
4 |
1 |
2 |
| Daniel Kitelee |
4 |
1 |
2 |
| John Kitelee |
6 |
2 |
3 |
| William Kitelee |
5 |
2 |
3 |
| John Manning |
2 |
- |
1 |
| James Neal |
4 |
1 |
2 |
| Thomas Stanton |
3 |
1 |
2 |
| John Stimpson |
3 |
- |
1 |
| Samuel Tarry |
5 |
1 |
2 |
| Benjamin Thompson |
1 |
- |
1 |
| William Tompkins |
1 |
- |
1 |
| John Webb |
4 |
1 |
1 |
| James Whitbread |
4 |
1 |
2 |
| Pease Willobe |
1 |
- |
1 |
| |
83 |
19 |
42 |
|
The following summarises the return
for the whole county.
| Hundred/Borough |
Parishes |
Men |
Horses |
Waggons |
Carts |
Windmills |
Watermills |
| Three Hundreds of Aylesbury |
38 |
3,762 |
2,251 |
481 |
935 |
8 |
22 |
| Three Hundreds of Ashendon |
36 |
2,180 |
1,545 |
423 |
659 |
7 |
2 |
| Buckingham Borough |
6 |
484 |
152 |
45 |
84 |
- |
2 |
| Three Hundreds of Buckingham |
29 |
1,808 |
1,333 |
386 |
561 |
2 |
11 |
| Hundred of Burnham |
28 |
3,053 |
1,720 |
294 |
714 |
1 |
14 |
| Three Hundreds of Cottesloe |
43 |
3,133 |
2,078 |
339 |
1073 |
5 |
10 |
| Hundred of Desborough |
14 |
1,883 |
1,118 |
326 |
458 |
- |
8 |
| Chepping Wycombe Borough |
3 |
970 |
389 |
103 |
123 |
- |
9 |
| The Three Hundreds of Newport |
53 |
4,224 |
2,261 |
479 |
1,099 |
2 |
12 |
| Hundred of Stoke |
13 |
2,050 |
1,007 |
180 |
419 |
- |
7 |
| T O T A L S |
263 |
23,547 |
13,854 |
3,056 |
6,125 |
25 |
97 |
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