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.