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Unofficial Website
Churchwardens' Accounts
There are substantial records available from the churchwardens' account for Rotherham Parish Church. I have not read them all but I have kept odd extracts out of interest. These are from 1596:-
| To Mr Wilbur for decayed soldiers | 26s. |
| Wine and wafers for the Holy Year | £4 16s 8d |
| Goodman Burgess 14 days work | 14/- |
| Wastries, glazier for head roof and soldering | 50/- |
|
Paid to Thomas Culdain for 3 iron bolts 13 crouckes byyger and less and for plates and bragges |
7/- |
| Paid to Henry Forth 60 yards of board for roof | 9/6 |
|
Paid to Lyon Keper for 2 fox heads and a cubs head Paid to Jhon Haggesman for a foxhead and 7 cubs heads Ryc Kynge for a cubs head |
? |
| Item paid to the Commissioners for the not wearing of caps | 14/4 |
|
Item paid for two large red leather skins for covering of the bells 2 other service books for covering and clasps |
? |
| Item paid for mending one of the books chained in church | ? |
And these from 1600:-
| It pd for a yard of white silk, lace and thread for a surplice for Mr Jepson | 4d |
| Item paid to Robert Petch's wife for making of same | 6d |
|
17/11/1600 (The Queen's Accession Day) Paid 26 ringers 10p each 10 gallons of ale at 7d the gallon Bread 4s 10d Suppers of all the churchwardens, minister, clerk and bellman |
? |
I have hardly begun to work my way through them but don't worry I shall not bore you with any more than this. It just gives you an idea about what concerned the church authorities in those days. One of the things that I have noticed from my limited reading is that the women are not named except as somebody's wife or daughter. Shows you just what they thought about the women!