Aldermen of the City of London: Lime Street ward

LIME STREET WARD.

Note A.—Walter de Rokesle is not definitely stated in the records at Guildhall to have been Alderman of Lime Street Ward. He was, however, Alderman of some Ward between 1294 and 1297. [Letter Book B, fo. 106 (xxxii. b); C, ff. 5 b (xxix. b), 19 b, 22; B, fo. 113 b (xxi.)], and the earliest and latest dates at which his name appears between these limits coincide with the interval between Robert Rokesle and Sely, who were undoubtedly Aldermen of this Ward. From 1297 till 1304 his name is not found amongst the list of Aldermen: from the latter date he, or another person of the same name, was Alderman of Langbourn.

Note B.—I have been unable to find any direct statement in the records at Guildhall that Sely was Alderman of Lime Street Ward, but it is suggested by the fact that his assignment to Lime Street between 1297 and 1300 exactly coincides with the disappearance of W. de Rokesle's name and the first entry of H. de Gloucester's in the lists of Aldermen. The only reference that I have found identifying his Ward is Letter Book B, fo. 77 (lxi. b), where he appears under date February 25, 1300, as witness to a deed relating to property "in the Ward called Ferthingward, in the parish of St. Peter-upon-Cornhill," as "Alderman of Ferthingward." Mr. Riley, in "Memorials of London" (Introduction p. 11 n), says—"this name perhaps had been given to the Ward of Cornhill at an earlier period," but Dr. Sharpe, in his Calendar [Letter Book B, p. 183 n], says that— "this Ward was probably identical with Lime Street," adding that Sely is "elsewhere recorded as Alderman of Lime Street Ward," though he does not give, and I cannot find, the reference. He is, however, undoubtedly right in his identification of Ferthingward with Lime Street, and might safely have omitted the qualification implied in the word "probably." As he points out, J. de Caustone, who is described as Alderman of "Ferthyngwarde," under date July 13, 1334 [H.R. 62 (96)] and October 31, 1336 [H.R. 63 (254)], is styled Alderman of "Lyme Street" in H.R. 60 (141) [date November 22, 1332], H.R. 63 (214) [date January 1, 1335], which shows clearly that at that period these two Wards were identical. Adam Fraunceys also, who was elected for Lime Street in 1356, is described as Alderman of "Ferthingwarde" in H.R. 85 (121) under date November 12, 1357. Mr. Riley was probably led to identify Ferthingward with Cornhill by the fact that the property referred to in Letter Book B, fo. 77, was in the parish of St. Peter, Cornhill, but this parish also comprised portions of Lime Street and Bishopsgate: and at a later period (see Chancellor's "Wards of the City of London," p. 92), the latter Wards had 65 and 62 houses respectively in the parish, whereas Cornhill Ward had only 30. [Since the above was in type I have found complete confirmation of the identification of Ferthyngwarde with Lime Street. In H.R. 191 (11) under date November 25, 1460, W. Hulyn is described as witnessing a deed in his character of Alderman of the Ward in regard to property situated in the parish of St. Andrew, Cornhill, "in Warda de Lyme Street al dicta Ferthyngward."]

Note C.—R. Lee (then Mayor) was elected Alderman of Lime Street (being then Alderman of Walbrook) on May 14, 1470, as stated in the text. But, although there is no minute to that effect, it is clear that he did not remove from his former Ward, of which he remained Alderman till his death in 1472 (Journal 8, fo. 19 b). The election of Stokton, in December, 1470, is stated (Journal 8, fo. 2) to be in place of Croke, who was one of those nominated with Lee for the vacancy in the preceding May. The whole question of the changes in the Court of Aldermen in the years 1469 and 1470, which is of considerable difficulty, is dealt with at length in Note C, Bishopsgate Ward (pp. 43, 44).

Note D.—By a clerical error the date of election, as well as that of admission, is given in the Repertory as June 24. The correct date is as stated above.