Extracts from Town Book, 1761-77

Further admissions:—

1760 October 13. John Campbell, of Bristol, merchant; fee 3s. 4d.
1761 March 25. Arthur Price, tallow chandler.James Waters, baker.
Edward Jones, customhouse officer.
Alexander Willson, watchmaker.
26th. Abraham Williams, gentleman.
William Rees, mariner.
August 3. Hector M'c Neal, of Bristol, merchant.
William James, of Cardiff, merchant.
1762 April 21. Lancellott Cowper, of Bristol, merchant; fee 3s. 4d.
Septr. 29. Jenkin Williams, of Cardiff, gentleman.
Thomas Evan, of Leckwith, yeoman.
William Glascott, of Cardiff, currier; 3s. 4d.

The Port of Cardiff. The Water Bailiffs are to exact the proper tolls, and these are to be applied in the repair of the Quay. The Port Tariff. The Common Seal is not to be affixed without consent of the Council. Town Property. No Freemen shall be admitted except by the two Bailiffs in open Court.

Cardiff Town To Wit. At a Court of Common Councell held for the Town of Cardiff aforesaid in the Councel Chamber of the said Town the 22^nd day of December in the Year of our Lord 1762 to Consider of divers and Sundry matters of and concerning the said Town and for the Well Government We the Bailiffs and the Several Aldermen and Capital Burgesses duly Summoned and Assembled in Councell as aforesaid being the major Part of the said Common Councell Do hereby unanimously Agree that Whereas there is a Vacancy of four Capital Burgesses in the Corporation of the said Town and it being expedient and necessary to fill up Such Vacancies for the better governing of the said Town We do elect Choose and nominate Abraham Williams Esq^r Richard Jenkins Mercer Phillip Lewis Gentleman and Jenkin Williams to be four Capital Burgesses and Assistants of the Corporation of the said Town of Cardiff.

Whereas the Town of Cardiff hath been time immemorial an Antient Port Town having had a proper Antient Quay for the Loading and unloading of Boats & Vessells trading to the said Town in Considerac'on whereof divers Antient ffees & Dues have from time to time been immemorialy paid as Kaiage and rece'd by the Water Bailiff for the time being to the use of the Bailiffs Aldermen & Burgesses of the said Town that is to Say the sum of one shilling for every Boat or Vessell belonging to any Burgess or ffreeman of the said Town loading or unloading at the said Quay the sum of two shillings and Six Pence from every boat or Vessell belonging to any fforeigner not being free of the said Town if under the burthen of Sixty Tons, and five shillings if above Sixty Ton and the sum of three shillings and four pence for every MillStone landed on the said Quay and other Antient and customary ffees. And Whereas the Quay has for Some years been permitted to be very ruinous and in decay by reason whereof the Antient dues and ffees have been neglected to be raised And Whereas great part of the said Quay hath been lately rebuilt and convenient landing places made for boats or Vessells to load and unload at the said Quay and the whole being intended shortly to be repaired compleatly It is therefore hereby unanimously ordered & ordained by the Common Councell of the said Town in Councell Assembled that the Bailiffs of the said Town for the time being do nominate proper persons to be Water Bailiffs (fn. 1) as well to Collect the several dues and Duties arising from the said Kayage according to the Antient Customs of the said Town as also to preserve the said Quay and Navigation of the said River according to the laws and statutes made for the preservation of Navigable Rivers and for the due and more proper preventing all manner of Nusances on the said Quay by laying and leaving any heavy goods or Merchandizes on the same to the prejudice and hinderance of any other persons in their loading or unloading their boats or Vessells It is hereby further Ordered and Ordained by the said Common Councel in Councel Assembled that no Pig Iron Cast Iron Wrought Iron Millstones or other Stones or Alabaster or any other goods or merchandizes whatsoever shall be permitted to be or remain on the said Quay for the Space of twenty four hours, under the Pain and penalty of one shilling or for the space of Six days under the pain and penalty of Six shillings and eight pence which said pains and penalties we do hereby ordain and order to be raised and levied by distress and Sale of the offenders Goods and Chattels or by Seizure and Sale of the goods and Merchandize or part of the same so continueing as a Nusuance on the said Quay as shall amount to y^e said sum of 6s. and 8d. and costs of such distress by Warrant under the hands and Seals of the Bailiffs of the said Town for the time being Oath being first duly made of such nusuance and offence and that this By Law and ordinance may have its due effect it is ordered & directed that the Town Clerk do Cause fair Coppys of this ordinance and by Law to be affixed and sett up at the said Quay as also at the most Publick Places in this Town that due notice may be taken hereof.

Whereas it has been usual and Customary of late years for the Bailiffs of this Town to order the Common Seal of this Town to be affixed to Such Leases as they have approved off without first previously consulting the Common Councel of this Town by which means great prejudizes have arose to the revenue and Estate of the said Town it is hereby unanimously ordered and ordained by the Common Councell of the said Town in Councel assembled that from henceforth no Lease or Leases be granted hereafter by the Bailiffs Aldermen and Burgesses of this Town nor the Common Seal of this Town affixed thereto without the Consent and approbation of the Common Councel of this Town in Councel Assembled or the Major Part of them present at two Several Councel days that is to Say one Councel day for the makeing proper proposals for Such intended Leases or grants & the next Councel day for Confirming and giving their approbation to the granting thereof that every Member of the said Councel may be duly apprised thereof hereby confirming and giving our Assent and Consent to all such former Leases and grants as have been heretofore granted by the Bailiffs Aldermen and Burgesses of the said Town and to which the Common Seal of the said Town have been already affixed.

Whereas the Bailiffs Aldermen and Burgesses of this Town have by Indenture bearing date the 10^th day of October 1750 granted unto Abraham Williams Gentleman a certain Parcell of Waste and uninclosed Land adjoyning to the highway leading from the said Town of Cardiff to the Black Weares (fn. 2) and Whereas the said Abraham Williams hath Caused a Wall to be built upon part of the said premisses for which Mich^l Richards Esq^r hath thought proper to Indict the said Abraham Williams and his Workmen in the Great Sessions for the County of Glamorgan We the Common Councel of the said Town in Councel Assembled do for the protecting of the rights and property of the said Town and their tenants order and agree that the said Abraham Williams and his Workmen be indempnified out of the revenue of the said Town for all Costs and damages they may suffer by reason of the said Indictment.

Whereas it hath been usual and Customary for one of the Bailiffs of the said Town to swear such persons ffreemen or Burgesses of the said Town at Such times or places as he thought proper (fn. 3) and Whereas the original intention of all Guilds or Communitys were that the Burgesses or ffreemen sho^d be admitted and Sworn into the said Guild in an open and publick manner It is therefore hereby unanimously ordered & ordained by the Common Councel in Councel Assembled that from hence forth no person or persons shall be admitted or Sworn a Burgess or ffreemen of the said Town but such as shall be approved of by the two Bailiffs of the said Town and by them Sworn as such in the Town Hall of the said Town at Some Publick Court of Record of the said Town held for the said Town hereby ordaining that this Ordinance shall no ways impeach the right or Validity of any Burgess or ffreeman already sworn as such but hereby fully confirming the same.

Hen. Yeomans
Tho^s Edwards
Tho^s Mathews
Phillip Stephens
Arth. Williams
Arthur Tanner
Rob^t Savours
David Prichard
Edw^d Waters
Alex^r Purcel
Francis Minnitt
George Williams
Joⁿ Thomas.

Cardiff Town To Wit. At the Guildhall in this Town on Thursday the twenty third of December in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Sixty two Abraham Williams of the said Town of Cardiff Esq^r was Sworn An Assistant or Capital Burgess of the said Town of Cardiff before Henry Yeomans and Thomas Edwards Esq^rs then Bailiffs of the said Town of Cardiff.

1762 Decr. 30. Jenkin Williams, gentleman, and Thomas Lewis, feltmaker, both of Cardiff, received the freedom. The latter paid a fee of 3s. 4d.

Cardiff Town To Wit. ffriday the 31^st of December 1763 Phillip Stephens Esq^r and Arthur Williams Esq^r were both Sworn (in the Castle of Cardiff) into the Office of Bailiffs of the said Town of Cardiff by Herbert Mackworth Esq^r Deputy Constable of the Castle of Cardiff.

The Same day and the same place Thomas Price Taylor and William James Master of the Workhouse were Sworn into the Office of Serjeants at Mace of the said Town by Herbert Mackworth Esq^r Deputy Constable of the Castle of Cardiff.

Cardiff Town To Wit. Thursday the 6^th of January 1763 the underm'ned persons were Sworn into the Office of Constables of this Town before Phillip Stephens and Arthur Williams Esq^rs then Bailiffs of the said Town that is to Say

Cardiff Town To Wit. Thursday the Seventeenth of January in the year of Lord 1765 at the Guildhall in the said Town Charles Seaton of Bristol Merchant was Sworn and admitted a Burgess or ffreeman of the said Town by and before Arthur Williams Esq^r one of the Bailiffs of the said Town.

Cardiff Town To Wit ffriday the 22^nd of ffebruary 1765 Henry Yeomans and Arthur Tanner Esquires were both Sworn (in the Castle of Cardiff) into the Office of Bailiffs of the said Town of Cardiff by Herbert Mackworth Esquire Deputy Constable of the Castle of Cardiff

The Same day and the Same place ffrancis Davies Chapman and William Glascott Currier were sworn into the office of Serjeants at Mace of the said Town of Cardiff by Herbert Mackworth Esquire Deputy Constable of the Castle of Cardiff.

1765 March 7 Thursday. Constables Sworn:—

Further admissions of Burgesses:—
1765 March 21 James Strahan, of Bristol, merchant.
Octr. 2. William Durbrow, of Cefn Mably, gentleman.
John David, of the parish of Saint Mellon's in the county of Monmouth,
yeoman.
Swearing the Common Attorneys.

Same date. William James and Henry Williams, tallow chandler, sworn as Common Attorneys by the Bailiffs.

The following admissions of Burgesses are couched in a new form, in consequence of the Order of 22 December 1762, q. v. ante.

Cardiff Town To Witt Thursday the 6^th day of March 1766 in open Court at the Court of our Sovereign Lord the King held for the said Town John Williams of Coedygoras in the County of Glamorgan Gentleman was admitted and sworn a Burgess or ffreeman of the said Town by Henry Yeomans Esq^r Senior Bailiff of the said Town, and paid for his admission the sum of twenty shillings.

Further admissions to the freedom:—
1766 May 1. Thomas Jones, of Cardiff, gentleman; fee 12s. 11d.
May 15. Shadrach Williams, of Cardiff, maltster; fee 12s. 11d.
June 26. Thomas Stephens, of Cardiff, shopkeeper; fee 12s. 11d. All the lastnamed were admitted by Henry Yeomans, the Senior Bailiff. The last three admissions are recorded in a new handwriting, as is also the following matter:—

Town Property.

Cardiff Town to witt. At a Court of Com[m]on Council held for the Town of Cardiff aforesaid in the Council Chamber of the said Town the Twenty Sixth day of June One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Six to Consider of divers and Sundry Matters of and Concerning the said Town and for the well Government thereof We the Bayliff and the Several Aldermen and Capital Burgesses duly summoned and Assembled in Council as aforesaid being the Major Part of the said Com[m]on Council do hereby Unanimously Agree in Manner following (That is to Say)

Whereas there is a Vacancy of Two Capital Burgesses in the Corporation of the said Town and it being Expedient and Necessary to fill up such Vacancys for the better Governing of the said Town We do Elect and Nominate Thomas Stephens and William James to be two Capital Burgesses and Assistants of the Corporation of the said Town of Cardiff.

Whereas a certain Lease bearing Date the Second Day of October One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty five was Granted by the Bayliffs Aldermen and Burgesses of the Said Town to Samuel Williams of a Parcel of Wast Ground adjoining to the Fryars Green (fn. 4) for Twenty One Years at the Rent of Ten Shillings We the said Bayliff Aldermen and Burgesses in Council Assembled Do hereby unanimously Agree Approve of and Consent to the Same.

Whereas Thomas Williams of Cardiff Millwright hath Applyed to the Bayliffs Aldermen and Burgesses for a Lease on a certain Wast or parcel of Land adjoining to the Tan River (fn. 5) Extending in length One hundred and Thirty six Feet and Six Inches (that is to Say) from M^r John Priest's Brewhouse on the North to M^r Richard Priest Storehouse on the South to the Park on the West and to the Lands of S^r Edmund Thomas BarBar[one]tand William Richards Esquire on the East for the Term of Forty Years at the Rent of One Pound, Eleven Shillings and six pence, We the Bayliff Aldermen and Capital Burgesses in Councel Assembled Do hereby unanimously Agree to approve of and Consent to the Same. The said Thomas Williams Causing no Prejudice to the Mill or Forges Erected on the Said Tan River or Stoping any Antient Way.

10 signatures.

1766 June 26. Alexander Purcel, goldsmith, and Francis Minnit, gardener,
are appointed Aldermen.

Burgesses admitted:—
Richard Priest junior, of Cardiff, mariner; fee 12s. 11d.
Nicholas Priest, of Cardiff, mariner; 12s. 11d.

Cardiff Town to witt Tuesday the 12^th day of August 1766. Herbert Mackworth of Knoll in the County of Glamorgan Esquire having produced an Instrument under the Hand and Seal of the Right Hon'ble Alice Lady Viscountess Dowager Windsor bearing Date the [blank] day of [blank] Appointing the said Herbert Mackworth Esquire Constable of the Castle of Cardiff during her Ladyships Will and Pleasure only And he was accordingly Sworn in Constable of the Castle of Cardiff aforesaid Before Me

Hen. Yeomans.

Swearing the new Town Clerk.

Cardiff Town to witt Tuesday the 12^th day of August 1766. Tho^s Thomas of the Town of Cardiff in the County Glamorgan Gentleman having produced an Instrument under the Hand and Seal of the Right Hon^ble Lady Viscountess Dowager Windsor bearing Date the 8^th Day of May 1766 Appointing the said Tho^s Thomas Gent. Town Clerk of the said Town of Cardiff for and during such Time as he shall behave himself well in the said Office And he was Accordingly sworn in Town Clerk of the Town of Cardiff afores^d Before Me

Hen. Yeomans.

Cardiff Town to witt. Tuesday the 12^th day of August 1766. M^r Alexander Purcell and M^r Francis Minnitt Assistants Were Sworn Aldermen of the said Town Before Herbert Mackworth Esquire Constable of the said Castle of Cardiff According to the Antient Customs of the said Town.

Burgesses admitted:—
1766 August 21. William Richards, of Cardiff, esquire; fee 12s. 11d.
Octr. 30. William Richards, of Cardiff, gentleman; 12s. 11d.
Novr. 13. Henry Toye Bridgeman, of Cardiff, esquire; 12s. 11d.
Bartholemew Greenwood, of Cardiff, gentleman; 12s. 11d.
Edward Morgan, of Rumney in the county of Monmouth, gentleman; 12s. 11d.
1767 Jany. 22. John Evans of Cadoxton-juxta-Barry, in the county of Glamorgan. yeoman; 12s. 11d.
1767 Jany. 23. Thomas Edwards and Alexander Purcel were sworn Bailiffs, by the Constable at the Castle; and Shadrack Williams, maltster, and Thomas Waters, tallow chandler, were on the same occasion sworn Serjeants at Mace.

26th. Constables sworn by the Bailiffs:—

1767 Feby. 19. Thursday. Burgesses admitted:—
William Richards Powell, of Cardiff, esquires.
Revd. George Richards, of Cardiff, clerk.
March 19. Thomas Stephens, of Cardiff, shopkeeper. (These each paid 12s. 11d.)

Same day: Richard Jenkins, esquire, Thomas Stephens, shopkeeper, and William James, Master of the Workhouse, all of Cardiff, were sworn Assistants or Capital Burgesses.

April 16. Burgesses admitted:—
Revd. Wyndham Lewis, of Cefn Carnau, clerk.
Henry Toye Bridgeman, of Cardiff, esquire. (His admission had been
previously recorded under date 13 Novr. 1766).
Shadrack Williams, of Cardiff, "Malster."
Samuel Williams, of Cardiff, innkeeper.
Joseph Jones, of Cardiff, nailer.
Isaac Rosser, of Cardiff, glazier.
James Barrel, of Cardiff, baker.
John Ovens, of Cardift, tanner.
Samuel Sabine, of Cardiff, gentleman.
Richard David, of Roath, yeoman.
William Morgan, "of the same," yeoman.
David Lewis, of Whitchurch, mason.
Richard Mollineux, of Llandaff, carpenter.
Thomas Cradock, of Llandaff, thatcher.
Francis Evans, of Llantwit Vaerdre. yeoman.
Morgan Thomas, of the same, yeoman.
Edward Evans, of the same, gentleman.
Thomas Jenkius, of the same, yeoman.
John William, of the same, yeoman.
Thomas William, of the same, yeoman.
Rowland Joseph, of the same, yeoman.
Rees Morgan, of the same, yeoman.
Thomas Edmund, of the same, yeoman.
Edmund Thomas, of the same, yeoman.
Thomas Hopkin, of Llantrisant, yeoman.
Rowland Thomas, of Llantrisant, yeoman.
Walter David, of Gelligaer, yeoman.
Edward Morgan, of Rumney, gentleman.
John Hopkins, of Lavernock, gentleman.
Nicholas Hopkins, of Lavernock, yeoman.
David Hopkins, of Lavernock, yeoman.
Abraham Webb, of Sully, yeoman.
Morgan William, of Pentyrch, yeoman.
Humphrey Denbury, of Llantwit Major, yeoman.
Thomas George, of Lavernock, yeoman.
Thomas Bassett, of Lavernock, yeoman.
John Bassett, of Lavernock, yeoman.
Richard Bassett, of the same, yeoman.
Thomas John, of the same, yeoman.
John John, of the same, yeoman.
Christopher John, of the same, yeoman.
Joshua Williams, of Eglwysilan, yeoman.
William Jenkin, of the same, yeoman.
William Morgan, of the same, yeoman.
Thomas Thomas, of the same, yeoman.
John James, of Rudry, yeoman.

Next follow Minutes of Council dated 4 June 1767, written in the peculiar indistinct hand of John Richards.

The first provides that Publick Notice be sett up of such Lands & tenements as are fallen into the town.

The next follows former resolutions in providing for the recovery of arrears of rent. Then come these:—

Public buildings to be repaired. Capt. Price's Charity.

Whereas the Quay Guildhall Markett House and the Road leading from the West Gate to the Bull ring in the town of Cardiff is out of repair We do hereby unanimously consent and agree that the Bayliffs for the time being do employ proper persons to repair & amend the same and that a proper person be appointed Water Bayliff by the said Bayliffs as soon as the said Quay shall be properly repaired and amended, pursuant to a former Order made in respect thereto.

Whereas Captⁿ Price did heretofore give & devise to Sundry persons as trustees for Apprenticing of poor persons the sum of 100li ww[hi]ch was heretofore deposited in the hands of W^m Richards Esq^r And Whereas six years Interest remains due on the said 100li from W^m Richards Esq^r his Grandson We do hereby unanimously Consent & agree that Edward Evan aged 14 years John Hamond aged 12 years Ann Prichard aged 10 years Ann William aged 10 years & Jane Hamond aged 10 years be pursuant to the directions of the Act of parliament made in the Seventh Year of King James the first placed out apprentices with the said money in such manner and to such persons as the Bayliffs for the time being shall approve of.

Tho^s Mathews
Hen. Yeomans
Rob^t Savours
David Prichard
Francis Minnitt
Ja^s Owen
Edw^d Waters
Watkin Morgan
Tho^s Stephens
Will. James.

Burgesses admitted 6 August 1767:—
Powell Edwards, of Cardiff, gentleman.
John Thomas junior, of Cardiff, gentleman.
William Eadoe, of Cardiff, gentleman.
Henry Lewis, of Cardiff, mariner.
Sept. 3. William Hart, of Cardiff, gentleman.

1768 January 15. Henry Yeomans and Arthur Williams, esquires, were sworn Bailiffs, and John Bird, shoemaker, and Samuel Williams, victualler, were sworn Serjeants at Mace, in the same form as previously.

21st. Constables sworn:—

March 3. John Williams of Coed-y-gores, gentleman, was sworn a Burgess.
April 14. John Rowand, of Bristol, linen draper, and
Septr. 29. William Thomas, of Cardiff, labourer, the like.

1769 January 12. Thomas Edwards and Alexander Purcell, esquires, were sworn
Bailiffs; and Alexander Willson, watchmaker, and Isaac Rosser, glazier, were sworn
Serjeants at Mace, by the Constable at the Castle.

Constables sworn on the 14th:—

Burgesses admitted:—
1769 Jany. 19. Emanuel White, of Cardiff, hatmaker.
William Evans, of Cardiff, cordwainer.
Miles Thomas, of Cardiff, labourer.
William Attwood, of Cardiff, tallow chandler.
John Hussey, of Cardiff, cordwainer.
Augt. 16. George Ewbank, of Bristol, haberdasher.
31. William Price of Watford in the county of Glamorgan, gentleman.
Novr. 9. Lewis Edward, of the parish of Michaelston super-Eley, yeoman.
23. William Lewis, of Bristol, gentleman.
1770 Augt. 2. Thomas Thomas, gentleman, Town Clerk of Cardiff.

1770 December 6. Minutes of Council, in the handwriting of John Richards:—

Town Property. Charities.

It is agreed by the unanimous Consent of the Bayliffs Aldermen and Capital Burgesses of this Town that the House at the Blunch Gate late fallen in be repaired under the directions of the Bayliffs of the said town for the time being and converted into proper Store houses and that proposals be rece'd by them from such persons as are willing to rent the same and reported by them to the Common Council and that the Town Cl^k do call on M^r W^ms for such repairs as are now wanting and for such arrears as are now due on the same.

M^r Henry Lewis proposes to renew his Lease at the dobbin pitts & to give twenty shillings a year for the same for three lives.

M^r Minnit proposes to renew his Lease of the town ditch paying twenty shillings a year for three lives.

M^r Howell proposes to renew his Lease of Fishers Bridge for three lives at two shilling.

It is agreed that proper Means be taken to Inforce the due Execution of the trust created by the will of M^rs Jane Herbert and the decree made in pursuance thereof as the Bayliffs for the time being shall think adviseable.

It is agreed that Capt. Prices money be applyed by the Bayliffs of the town for the time being in Apprenticing the Children in the Workhouse or such as they think properest there.

It is unanimously agreed to nominate and appoint Bartholomew Greenwood of Cardiff Esq. Henry Lewis of the same Mercer the Rev^d Powell Edwards of the Same Cl^k and Tho^s Thomas Town Cl^k of the Said Town assistants and Capital Burgesses of said town in the Room of several Capital Burgesses either deceased or nominated Aldermen of said Town.

Alex^r Purcel
Tho^s Mathews
Crad^k Nowell
Hen. Yeomans
Arth. Williams
Rob^t Savours
David Prichard
Francis Minnitt
Ja^s Owen
Watk. Morgan
Phil. Lewis.

The abovenamed persons were accordingly sworn Capital Burgesses by the Bailiffs on the same day, together with Robert Priest, of Bristol, apothecary.

Footnotes