BROMSGROVE COURT LEET
Members of the Bromsgrove Court Leet
Bromsgrove Court Leet members each take on various roles and responsibilities within the Court, all of which uphold the traditions of this ancient organisation.
The Court is answerable to the Lord of the Manor of Bromsgrove, who in medieval times was directly responsible to the King of England. The head of the Court is the Bailiff with the Reeve as second in command. The Lord of the Manor is represented by his Steward and the Court has a Marshal, Chappelyn, Bellman & Towncrier, Custodian of the Records & Herald, Treasurer and Market Master. Members of the Court Jury act as officers of the Court who are co-ordinated by the Foreman of the Jury and have roles such as Ale Taster, Breadweigher, Searcher and Sealer of Leather, Carniter, and Brook-looker – modern day trading standards. The Jurymen swear an oath to take on the roles of Reeve and Bailiff in the future. The Headborough and Constable of the Court leads the Tythingmen who each have responsibility for their tything area (yield). Past Bailiffs of the Court are known as Ealdormen and three Ealdormen are elected as Affeerors who sit on the Inner Court and ensure the traditions are upheld. New members are nominated by existing members and elected to the court at the Great Autumn Court or the Spring Court meeting.
Reeve - Bird
Bailiff - Beaumont
The Court for the year from November 2021 looks like this:
Chris Bird – The Lord of the Manor since 1972 when the title was passed down from his grandfather.
Neil Beaumont - The Bailiff of the Bromsgrove Court Leet, elected at the Autumn Court on 4th November 2021. Neil joined the Court in November 2012 as a Tythingman and was elected to join the Jury in November 2018.
Robert Bird - The Reeve, second in command. Robert is the son of the Lord of Manor. He joined the Court in October 2010 and has served on the Jury as the Brook-Looker for many years.
Joanne Slade – Immediate Past Bailiff, Custodian of the Records & Herald. Jo is the first female to be elected Bailiff of our Court in November 2019. She is daughter of Ealdorman David Slade, Bailiff in the 800th Year of the Court. Jo served as Bailiff for a second year following re-election at the Autumn Court on 6th November 2020 due to the cancellation of events caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
John Rogers – The Marshal; responsible for keeping the Court in order at Court meetings and events.
John Fisher – The Steward, represents the Lord of the Manor in the Court.
Kevin Ward - Bellman & Towncrier “Oyez, oyez, oyez!” Kevin has been the Bellman to the Court since 1985, his great, great, great grandfather was the last Town Crier in Birmingham from 1827 til 1882 when he died.
Barrie Fischer – Court Treasurer. Barrie was elected Bailiff in 2005
Rev'd Ray Khan – Chappelyn, Ray is the vicar at the Parish Church of St John’s. The Court attending the Patronal Service annually on the Sunday after Fair Day.
Charlie Ayres - Constable & Headborough.
Robert Richardson – Honorary Constable.
Geoffery A Evans - Honorary Constable. Geoff served as Headborough from 6th November 2003 until 6th November 2020
David Coulson - Market Master
Robert Moule - Foreman of the Jury, elected Bailiff in 1996
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Philip Thomas – Senior Ale Taster, elected to the Court in November 2018
Ray Giles – Deputy Ale Taster, elected to the Court in November 2011
Hans Rostrup – Breadweigher, elected to the Court in November 2013
Robert Spittle – Carniter & Fish Taster, elected to the Court November 2018
Jon Till - Searcher & Sealer of Leather, elected to the Court in November 2018
Mark Robinson – Brooklooker, introduced to the Court as Tythingman for Gannow, elected to the Jury in November 2020
Patrick Firminger –elected to the Court in October 2010
The Jury
Ealdormen with year elected as Bailiff
Roger Weaver Affeeror Emeritus 1973
Keith Pinfield Ealdorman 1979
Gordon Jones Ealdorman 1982
Matthew Horton Affeeror 1984
Paddy Firminger Ealdorman 1988
Kenneth Pinfield Ealdorman 1989
John Morris Ealdorman 1990
Ted Keen Ealdorman 1992
Ian Hughes Ealdorman 1993
John Burman Affeeror Emeritus 1994
Richard Wilkinson Ealdorman 1997
David Slade Ealdorman 1998
Tim Harris Ealdorman 1999
John Weston Ealdorman 2002
Graham Boyles Ealdorman 2003
Jeremy Sharp Affeeror 2004
Dennis Norton Ealdorman 2007
Group Captain John P Rogers Ealdorman 2008
Martin Connellan Ealdorman 2011
Roy Thomason Ealdorman 2012
Richard Harper Ealdorman 2013
John Wheatley Ealdorman 2015
Philip Harper Ealdorman 2016
Nick Pinfield Ealdorman 2017
Dr William Tucker Ealdorman 2018
Joanne Slade Ealdorman 2019 & 2020
The Tythingmen and their yields
Adrian Smith Tythingman Buntsford Yield & Deputy Ale Taster
David G Thomas Tythingman Chadwick Yield
Geoff Hawkesworth Tythingman Shepley Yield
Richard Abbotts Tythingman Dodford Yield
Jeff Evans Tythingman Timberhonger Yield
Vacant Tythingman Burcot Yield
Michael Adams Tythingman Lickey Common Yield
Peter Gale Tythingman Gannow Yield
Rebecca Guest Tythingman Padstone Yield
Cyril Day Tythingman Woodcote Yield
David Coulson Tythingman Catshill Yield & Market Master
Richard Nokes Tythingman Fockbury Yield
Susan Norton Tythingman Town Yield
