Chief Bailiff of Hereford explained

The chief bailiff of Hereford was the most senior secular magistrate in the city of Hereford, England, elected by the citizens of the city annually.^[1] The role was equivalent to that of a mayor, and was superseded by that title by letters patent issued by Richard II, King of England, on 15 November, 1383. One of the King's knights, Sir John Burley, had petitioned him for this change.^[2] There were typically also two under-bailiffs.

List of chief bailiffs of Hereford

Richard Johnson's The Ancient Customs of the City of Hereford (1882) is the only source of a complete list of bailiffs of Hereford.^{[3] [4]} The complete list does not appear on any contemporary documents, and it is unclear where Johnson got his information from. Not all the names survive on court rolls.^[5]

Date Name 1268 Richard Bisse 1269 Adam Swain 1270 Adam Swain 1271 Walter le Wanter 1272 John Seym 1273 Hugo Seward 1274 Reginald Moniword 1275 Richard Moniword 1276 Richard Moniword 1277 John de Pyon 1278 Thomas de Pyon 1279 John Werrour 1280 John Catchpol 1281 John le Gaunter 1282 Hugo Doreward 1283 John le Suton 1284 John le Gaunter 1285 William Franklyn 1286 William Goudry 1287 John le Gaunter 1288 John le Gaunter 1289 William Framelyn 1290 John le Gaunter 1291 John le Gaunter 1292 Robert de Dyke 1293 Robert de Dyke 1294 Hugo Froue/Troue 1295 John Suton 1296 John Moniword 1297 Hugo Grovey 1298 William Vomaller 1299 John de Stretton 1300 William de Smey 1301 William de Smey 1302 Nicholas Iwayn 1303 Richard Moniword 1304 Hugh Froue/Troue 1307 Richard Moniword 1308 Richard Moniword 1309 Richard Moniword 1310 Richard Moniword 1311 Henry de Orleton 1312 Richard de Cruse 1313 Thomas Tope 1314 William de Orleton 1315 Richard Thurgin 1316 Richard Thurgin 1317 Thomas Tope 1318 Richard Moniword 1319 Philip de Werrour 1320 Richard Moniword 1321 Philip de Werrour 1322 William de Orleton 1323 William de Staunton 1324 William de Orleton 1325 John de Lansale 1326 William Horeman

Date Name 1327 Thomas Cope 1328 Robert de Hompton 1329 Robert de Hompton 1330 Robert de Hompton 1331 Robert de Hompton 1332 Robert de Hompton 1333 Robert de Hompton 1334 John de la Barre 1335 Thomas Thorpe 1336 Walter le Catchpole 1337 Roger Colling 1338 Walter le Catchpole 1339 Walter de la Barre 1340 Walter de la Barre 1341 Robert de Hompton 1342 Robert de Hompton 1343 Nicholas de Bromyard 1344 Richard Aubrey 1345 Richard Aubrey 1346 Nicholas de Bromyard 1347 Nicholas de Bromyard 1348 Nicholas de Bromyard 1349 Richard de Bromyard 1350 Richard de Bromyard 1351 Richard Hamond 1352 Henry Catchpole 1353 John le Bailiff 1354 John le Bailiff 1355 John Field 1356 Bartholomew le Clerk 1357 Henry Catchpole 1358 John le Clerk 1359 Walter de Ailmeston 1360 John Field 1361 Bartholomew le Clerk 1362 Walter Ailmeston 1363 Thomas Don 1364 Walter de Ailmeston 1365 Richard Elliot 1366 John Bailiff 1367 John Blod 1368 William Colling 1369 Henry Catchpole 1370 Richard Elliot 1371 John Blod 1372 Richard Elliot 1373 William Colling 1373 John Goldsmith 1375 Henry Catchpole 1376 William Delamere 1377 Richard Falke 1378 Hugh Osborne 1379 Richard Falke 1380 Richard Palmer 1381 Richard Falke 1382 Richard Falke 1383 Thomas Benger 1384– Mayors of Hereford

Notes and References

1. Web site: City History . Hereford City Council . 8 July 2023 . 3 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201203110759/https://herefordcitycouncil.gov.uk/city-history/ . live .
2. Web site: Woodger . L. S. . The House of Commons 1386-1421: Hereford . The History of Parliament . 8 July 2023 . 9 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120509222350/http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/constituencies/hereford . live .
3. Book: Johnson, Richard . The Ancient Customs of the City of Hereford . T. Richards . 1882 . 230–231 . 22 July 2022 . 22 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220722092045/https://books.google.com/books?id=09cZAAAAYAAJ . live .
4. Web site: Chief Bailiffs . Hereford City Council . 8 July 2023 . 8 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230708144712/https://herefordcitycouncil.gov.uk/chief-bailiffs/ . live .
5. Book: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/hist-mss-comm/vol31/pt4/pp292-302 . Her Majesty's Stationery Office . Historical Manuscripts Commission . The Corporation of Hereford: Court Rolls, to 1509 . The Manuscripts of Rye and Hereford Corporations, Etc. Thirteenth Report, Appendix: Part IV . London . 1892 . 292–302 . British History Online . 22 July 2022 . 22 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220722092045/https://www.british-history.ac.uk/hist-mss-comm/vol31/pt4/pp292-302 . live .