Court of Sewers

The Commissioners of Sewers for the East Riding were created under the Statute of Sewers 23 Hen. VIII c.5 (1531), which authorised the appointment of commissioners charged with the drainage of low-lying land liable to flooding. The Court of Sewers, which consisted of the commissioners meeting with a jury, conducted their business in a judicial manner. The jurisdiction of the Court was over the repairs of sea-walls and sea-banks, the cleaning of public rivers, streams and ditches, becks and drains, and any other watercourse used for the draining of land. Their Courts heard complaints of nuisances; of failure to clean and clear drains and ditches, resulting in the flooding of neighbouring properties; and they had the power to arrest carts and horses, take trees for repairs, and appoint workmen, bailiffs and surveyors. They could fine for neglect, or for contempt, and levy a drainage tax to fund all work.


The Court minutes are difficult to trawl through if looking for people. A much richer source are the jury lists in class CSR/63, which spans 1725-1840, although there is one much earlier for the wapentake of Harthill, for 1646, in CSR/6/2. A second series, in class CSR/64, covers the period 1828-1834. The Jury Lists in the class CSR/63/2 covering 1725-1806 have been examined and the relevant entries extracted, but those in CSR/63/3 covering 1807-1840 have yet to be examined. Those in CSR/64 have all been checked, and the relevant entries extracted.


Other classes found to have references to Ellerton include: CSR/62/1; CSR/64/1; CSR/64/3; CSR/64/4; CSR/64/5; CSR/64/6; CSR/67/9; CSR/67/13; and CSR/68/8, all of which are extracted below.

     
CSR/63 Lists of jurymen for Howdenshire and the west parts of the East Riding
1725-1840
CSR/63/2 Jury lists for Ouse and Derwent, Howdenshire, Holme Beacon, Wilton Beacon, and Hunsley Beacon 1725-1806
CSR/63/3 Jury lists for Ouse and Derwent, Howdenshire, Holme Beacon, Wilton Beacon, and Hunsley Beacon
1807-1840



CSR/64 Lists of jurymen for Howdenshire and the west parts of the East Riding 1828-1834
CSR/64/1 List of jurymen for Holme Beacon [see below] 1828
CSR/64/2 Warrants for jurymen for Harthill 1829
CSR/64/3 Warrants for jurymen for Holme Beacon [see below] 1830
CSR/64/4 Warrants for jurymen for Holme Beacon [see below] 1831
CSR/64/5 Warrants for jurymen for Holme Beacon [see below] 1832
CSR/64/6 Warrants for jurymen for Holme Beacon [see below] 1833
CSR/64/7 Sheriff's return and panel of jury 1834


Extracts

CSR/63/2

Year Forename Surname Place
1783 William Atkinson Ellerton
1791 William Atkinson Ellerton
1732 Robert Brown Ellerton
1732 William Brown Ellerton
1739 William Brown Ellerton
1742 Joseph Brown Ellerton
1756 Robert Brown Ellerton
1772 Robert Brown Ellerton
1727 Barnard Clarkson Ellerton
1742 Robert Cock Ellerton
1756 Robert Cock Ellerton
1739 John Crake Ellerton
1735 George Johnson Ellerton
1759 William Johnson jun Ellerton
1801 Francis Mosey Ellerton
1783 John Newton Ellerton
1800 William Simpson Ellerton
1738 Nicholas Smith Ellerton
1800 William Stephenson Ellerton
1739 John Walker Ellerton



CSR/64/1

List of jurymen for Holme Beacon, Wilton Beacon, Hunsley Beacon, Ouse and Derwent, and Howdenshire

1828

John Adamson, Ellerton, farmer
William Blanchard, Ellerton, farmer (entry crossed out)
Robert Brown, Ellerton, farmer
William Boast, Ellerton, farmer


CSR/64/3

Warrants for jurymen for Ouse and Derwent, Howdenshire, Hunsley Beacon, Holme Beacon and Wilton Beacon

1830

Thomas Blanshard, Ellerton, farmer (entry crossed out)

Robert Brown, Ellerton, farmer (entry crossed out)


CSR/64/4

Warrants for jurymen for Ouse and Derwent, Howdenshire, Hunsley Beacon, Holme Beacon and Wilton Beacon

1831

Francis Mosey, Ellerton, farmer


CSR/64/5

Warrants for jurymen for Ouse and Derwent, Howdenshire, Hunsley Beacon, Holme Beacon and Wilton Beacon

1832

William Boast, Ellerton, tanner


CSR/64/6

Warrants for jurymen for Ouse and Derwent, Howdenshire, Hunsley Beacon, Holme Beacon and Wilton Beacon

1833

William Boast, Ellerton, farmer


CSR/67/9

Presentment and amercement against the constable for Ellerton cleanse and scour the drain in Guy Close in Foggathorpe

18 Jul 1829


CSR/67/13

Presentment and amercement against James Brabbs of Latham and the constable of Ellerton, to dress, clean and scour Moor Dyke Drain, Foggathorpe

1 May 1830


CSR/68/8

Petition of Simeon Webster and other land owners relating to drains and embankments in Melbourne, Thornton, Storthwaite, Sutton upon Derwent, East Cottingwith, Ellerton, Aughton and Bubwith

1834


CSR/62/1

Minutes of business for the chairman

25 Jul 1840

Includes details of a case against Thomas Blanshard of Ellerton.