Beadle

The Wikipedia article gives a beadle as "a minor official who carries out various civil, educational, or ceremonial duties." This would seem to tie in with the description in the Manchester Court Leet records where the beadle "was yearly provided with a new suit of clothes, two pairs of scarlet stockings, and two pairs of shoes, and he had his staff of office newly gilt each year." The post was salaried at the rate of £5 per year and, in 1738 in Manchester the beadle was to be advanced an extra fourty shillings "if he was deserving". Since only a small proportion of the population of Preston were literate (at least in the 17th Century) there had to be a mechanism by which the various presentments could be pronounced to the population. The beadle or bellman would be the most likely candidate. Hewitson also suggests that the beadle should prevent "rogues and other wandering beggers" from begging - taking offenders to the House of Correction.

There are some strange entries in the Preston records. In appointing the beadle for 1832 onwards the court adds the comment that the beadle should be "Ja[mes]. Gregson - during good behaviour." At the same court the person appointed as "Scavenger & to cowl the streets" was "Robert Hall taylor - during good behaviour." It is uncertain what this means. A possible cause could that, in an earlier presentment at that court, James was shown to be absent from the court without consent as had Robert Taylor.

The first appearance of the office of Beadle in Preston occurs in October 1662.