Parish Constables
A power once held by rural Parish Councils was to select and appoint such fit and suitable persons as they considered necessary to act as the local Parish Constables. These appointments were for one year and those chosen were sworn in by two Justices of the Peace, of the Thrapston Division.
The Parish Constables Act 1842 transferred the right to appoint the Parish Constables from the Manorial Courts to the parishes, initially to the Overseers of the Poor, until their demise, then the Overseers Order 1927 transferred the power to the Parish Councils.
In Northamptonshire, a resolution passed by the Court of the Quarter Sessions on 1st January 1873 stated "That it is necessary with a view to the preservation of the peace of this County and the proper discharge of public business therein, that one Constable shall be appointed for every parish within the jurisdiction of this Court the population of which is below 1,500 and two in every parish where the population is above that number ...".
The above was rescinded in October 1941, meaning the appointment was no longer compulsory.
In 1882 and 1883, at the Annual Vestry Meeting, William Jellis was elected as the Parish Constable.
From 1908 - 1926, the Parish Council elected Alfred Morris (Shoehand).
From 1927 - 1936, The Parish Council elected Ernest Loake Tilley (Farmer).
20th February 1937, the Parish Council considered the applications of
- George Edward Brittin (Farmer),
- Ronald K Bull (Baker) and
- Ernest Loake Tilley (Farmer).
The meeting elected Ernest Loake Tilley.
A meeting on the 4th March 1938 returned the same result from the same candidates.
But on the 3rd March 1939, the Parish Council considered the applications of
- Colis Baxter (Gardener),
- Joseph Charles Brittin (Farm Foreman) and
- Ronald K Bull (Baker).
The meeting elected Ronald K Bull.
Meetings in 1940 and 1941 returned the same results from the same candidates.