All Saints Vestry Minute Book

Many thanks to Chrictine Buckley for this transcription

The parish vestry minute book, dating back to 1896, is temporarily out of the church safe. The annual vestry appointed parish officers and originally dealt with the poor law rate.

The book mentions some names and occupations, early on - main use being, I suppose, to see whether individuals were still alive at particular date.

Rev Swindell

The vicar was Mr SWINDELL who was generally present at the meetings.
The book has a plate showing it was sold by William Gibbons, 'Steam Printer', of Princess Street in Wolverhampton, who might perhaps also be linked to the Sedgley Gibbons. It consists of '6 quires Hand Made Paper', and cost 14 shillings.

20 Feb 1896 Present :

Joseph Law, Leonard Foster, W. H. Haden, Richard Pugh and others

25 March 1896 Present:

[as above] List of 'substantial house-holders' from whom Overseers of the Poor were appointed:

Joseph Law, Lower Gornal, Farmer
Samuel S. Allen, Hurst Hill, Screw Manufacturer
William Henry Haden, Netherby House, Gentleman
Leonard Foster, Upper Gornal, Maltster [These four were appointed]

Stephen W. Fellows, Upper Gornal, Nail Master
Walter Egginton, Sedgley, Painter John Hickman, Gospel End, Timber Merchant
David Crofts, Woodsetton, Furnace Builder
William Henry Hawthorne, Coseley, Iron Founder
John Jones, Lower Gornal, Shoe Manufacturer
Job E. East, Ettingshall, Iron Master
Joel Griffiths, Lower Gornal, Grocer
James Wainwright, Gospel End, Mining Engineer
Benjamin S. Parkes, Fire Iron Manufacturer, Woodsetton [sic]
William Smith, Gornal, Brick Works Manager
Edward Jordan, Highfields, Iron Master

10 April 1896 ['Easter Vestry'] Present:

Rev Swindell,
Rev W. Chinn,
L. Foster,
J. T. Homer,
T. Guest,
J. Dewar,
Rd Pugh,
Hy Perks,
A. W. Pugh,
H. Harrison,
B. Cole Vicar's warden:
Charles Howard Fullwood People's warden:
Dudley Dunn (proposed by Richard Pugh, seconded Benjamin Cole)

Sidesmen, All Saints':

Walter Egginton,
Ernest Whitehouse,
Stephen Cox,
Aaron Smith,
Fredk Lister,
Oliver Howl,
J. T. Egginton,
Rd F. Vickers (proposed Benjamin Cole, seconded Thomas Guest)

Sidesmen, St Barnabas':

George Hollies
Jr, Henry Perks (proposed J. T. Homer, seconded Richard Pugh)

Sidesmen, St Andrew's:

Abraham Passmore,
John Smith,
Ed Wones,
Thomas Timmins (proposed and seconded as previous)

6 July 1896:

no new names, but incudes Joseph Law's signature as chairman of meeting.

25 March 1897 Present:

Leonard Foster,
Joseph Law,
P. S. Dudley Dunn,
W. H. Haden,
Joseph Sherwin,
Richard Pugh and others.

Overseers: same four appointed, same list of candidates apart from omission of Job East. Walter Egginton's address given as 'High Holborn, Sedgley'.

22 April 1897 [Easter Vestry] Present:

J. A. Homer,
P. S. Dudley Dunn,
Thomas Jones,
Benjamin Cole,
Richard Pugh,
Rev A. Stolling and others.

Vicar's warden: Charles Howard Fullwood
People's warden: Thomas Jones

Sidesmen, All Saints':

Walter Egginton,
P. Dudley Dunn,
Ernest Whitehouse,
Stephen Cox,
Fredk Lister,
Oliver Howl,
J. T. Egginton,
R. F. Vickers,
J. T. Homer.

Sidesmen, St Barnabas': [as previous year]

Sidesmen, St Andrew's: [as previous year]

You get the idea. It's pretty repetitive, with slow variations.

Additions include:

Thomas Turley joins those present at the Poor Law meeting of 25 March 1899;
James Davies joins the Easter Vestry list for 7 April 1899;
William Mobberley is People's warden for 1900 - after a vote - Edwin Astley and Moses Watton are sidesmen in 1900;
William Williamson and Benjamin Bradley attended the Poor Law meeting of 1901.

At the 1901 Easter Vestry, Samuel Pope and James Stainton become sidesmen for St Barnabas'.

The 'substantial householders' of 1902 gain
Joseph Taft, Mining Engineer, Coseley;
William Mobberley, Fire Brick Manufacturer, Woodsetton;
Thomas Jones, Builder, Sedgley;
George Hogarth, Tailor, Sedgley;
Samuel Pope, Licensed Victualler, Sedgley.
Carmi Fox appears as a sidesman at All Saints' in 1904.

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