Churchwardens (16th - 21st Century)


The office of Churchwarden dates from the 13th Century.They tended to come from the more substantial men of the parish. Churchwardens were first and foremost lay officers of the Church, responsible to the bishop of the diocese or his representative, the archdeacon. Their main ecclesisastical functions were:

(a) maintenance of the church structure including the bells but excluding the chancel which was the responsibility of the Rector or lay farmer;
(b) the provision of all things necessary for the services of the church, from buying the communion wine, to making sure the church had the requisite service books;
(c) attending the twice yearly visitations of the archdeacon where they had to make returns on every failure under church law in the parish from misbehaviour in church to sexual offences. In addition to these essentially medieval duties, the state added a number of secular functions and some new ecclesiastical functions:
(d) making collections for the poor, for maimed soldiers, and for prisoners and the storing of that money in a chest or box;
(e) maintaining a parish chest for the storing of the Parish Register and other church documents;
(f) making an annual financial return to the parish;
(g) enforcing a miscellaneous group of statutes from the extermination of vermin to the wearing of cloth caps;
(h) reporting incumbents who failed to follow state-enforced religious changes;
(i) reporting non-attenders, particularly local recusants and dissenters.

In Angmering, like most other parishes, two churchwardens were elected at the Vestry meeting each Easter and appointed for one year. A list of Angmering churchwardens from the Parish Registers is shown below. There are gaps in the Registers and the names are written exactly as recorded. The names between 1747 and 1775 were obtained by Mr RW Standing from Bishops Transcripts. The names from 1950 onwards come from St Margaret's church magazines or website.

From 1562 - 1687 Registers:

 

1593 Edward Young, William Strong
1594 Thomas Gratwicke, Edward Parker
1595 John Huling, John Stort
1596 Thomas Adames, John Young
1597 Thomas Caper, William Huleing
1598 Henry Gratwicke, John Strong
1599 John Short, George Wymarke
1600 Robert White, Thomas Chipper
1601 William Wright, Richard Penfold, Jun
1602 Peter Bunne, John Napper
1603 Thomas Martyn, Richard Pannett
1604 Richard Penfould, Senior, Thomas Martyn
1605 John ffrogbrooke. Richard Bacon
1606 Thomas Stanford, Robert Charles
1607 Thomas Stanford, Thomas Gratwicke
1608 John Hueleing, Thomas Stanford
1609 George Wymark, John Pannett
1610 George Wimarke, Thomas Payne
1611 Edward Streator, Edward Cunstable
1612 George Younge, Thomas Goddleman
1613 Thomas Holland, John Napper
1614 Richard Adams, John Stempe
1615 Edward Gray, John Haiward
1616 Hugh Penfold, William Streater
1617 John Huling, Thomas Seldyn
1618 Thomas ffenne, Thomas Ransforde
1619 John ffoster, Thomas Raynsford
1620 Christopher White, John Ingram
1621 Christopher White, Thomas Strong
1622 Henry Wells, John Owlder
1623 Richard Penfold, Thomas Parker
1624 Thomas Parker, William Huling
1625 Edward Adams, John Strong
1626 Edward Wady (gent), Edward Adams
1627 Thomas Holland, Edward Constable
1628 John Pannet, Thomas Adams
1629 Edward Clemsall, Richard Nowell
1630 William Smith, Richard Bennet

1631 Thomas Longe, William Withier
1632 Edward Ludgater, Richard, Penfold
1633 John Foster, Robert Pannet
1634 John Ingram, Oliver Parker
1635 Henry Foster, Edward Pledge
1636 John Trunnell, John Bunne
1637 Hugh Penfold, Edward Cunstable
1638 Richard Adams, John Napper
1640 William Hulin, William Olliver
1641 Henry Pannett, William Older
1642 Thomas Adames, John Streate
1643 William Symonds, William Edwards
1645 John Ingram, Thomas Symson
1646 John Ingram, Thomas Symson
1647 Robert Pannett, Robert Curll
1648 John Griffin, John Stronge
1649 Edward Ludgater, John Stone
1650 Edward Ludgater, John Stone
1651 Edward Adams senr, Richard Adams
1652 Henry Foster, Richard Adams
1653 George Warner, John Sturt
1654 Oliver Penfold, John Heyward
1655 Robert Grevet, John Mittell
1656 Thomas Gittins, John Gray
1657 William Hulinge, John Eastone
1658 William Olliver, John Bacon
1659 Mr Humphery Gratwicke, Roberte Grevett
1660 Richard Pescod, John Stone
1661 Richard Pescod, John Stone
1662 Robert Pannet, Thomas Adams
1663 Oliver Penfold, John Heyward
1664 John Sturt senr, Nicholas Chauke
1665 John Sturt senr, Nicholas Chauke
1666 Henry Blaber, William Selden
1668 Thomas Peter, Henry Blaber
1669 John Younge, John Cheesman
1678 Hugh Penfold, John Pratt

From 1688 - 1812 Registers:

 

1705 William Olliver, William Wells
1706 William Olliver, John Smart
1707 William Olliver, John Smart
1711 John Manning, Martin Cheasman
1712 Edward Ingram, William Walls
1719 John Edsaw, Robert Edmunds
1720 John Edsaw, Robert Edmunds
1723 Richard Barton, John French
1724 William Olliver, James Hunt
1725 Martin Chisman, Robert French
1726 John Edmonds, John Ingram
1727 John Parker, Richard Penfold
1728 George Palmer, Richard Knowles
1729 John Edmonds, Richard Penfold
1730 Mr Foreman, Daniel Walls
1731 Richard Barton, John French
1732 John Edmonds, William Olliver junr
1733 John Kewel, Richard Penfold
1734 Thomas Hoar, John Holmwood
1735 Richard Penfold, John Olliver
1736 George Palmer, Richard Penfold senr
1737 John Curtis, William Peters
1738 John Foreman, John Parham
1739 John Edmunds, Robert Kemp
1740 Thomas Olliver, John Olliver
1741 Richard Barton, John French
1742 Richard Penfold junr, Henry Postlethwaite
1743 John Kewel, Richard Crossingham
1745 William Rudman, Richard Penfold
1746 John Holmwood, Hugh Penfold
1747 John Edmonds, John Cortis
1748 John Foreman, William Peters
1749 Tho Olliver, John French
1750 Richard Penfold, Henry Postlethwaite
1751 Thomas Olliver, John Kewell
1752 John Edmands, James Cortis
1753 Hugh Penfold, John Holmwood
1754 J. Foreman, Thomas Olliver
1755 Thomas Olliver, John Foreman
1756 John Edmands [only]
1757 Hugh Penfold, John Olliver
1758 Bridger Lidbetter, William Drewett
1759 James Cortis, John Edmunds

1760 Hugh Penfold, [John] Holmwood
1761 John Foreman, John Parham
1762 William Gratwicke [only]
1763 John Holmwood, James Cortis
1764 [not currently known]
1765 John Edmunds, James Cortis
1766/7 Hugh Penfold, John Holmwood
1767/8 John Holmwood, John Parham
1768/9 John Holmwood [....]
1770/1 John Holmwood, [... ] Cortis
1771/2 George Jupp, John Holmwood
1772/3 George Jupp, George Miles
1774 John Foreman, James Penfold
1775 James Penfold, John Foreman
1776 John Edmunds, James Cortis
1777 John Edmunds, William Drewett
1778 John Edmunds, John Holmwood
1779 John Edmunds, George Miles
1780 John Edmunds, Robert French
1781 John Edmunds
1782 John Edmunds, George Miles
1783 John Edmunds, John Holmwood
1784 John Edmunds, John Holmwood
1785 John Edmunds, Thomas Amoore junr
1787 John Edmunds, John Holmwood
1789 John Kewell, John Foreman
1790 Robert French, Thomas Amoore
1791 James Penfold, George Cortis
1792 William Miles
1793 William Amoore
1794 John Holmwood, Harry Baker
1795 Thomas Woods
1796 George Markwick
1797 George Markwick
1798 Thomas Amoore
1799 George Cortis
1800 Harry Baker, William Amoore
1801 Thomas Olliver
1802 Thomas Amoore
1805 Harry Baker
1806 John Holmwood, James Olliver
1807 John Holmwood, James Olliver
1809 John Holmwood

Other 19th Century Churchwardens

  1838
1850
1858
1862
1865
1868
1872-77
1888-96
1897-99
George Cortis, James Cortis
J W Heasman
William GK Gratwicke, William Miles
William GK Gratwicke, William Miles
William Miles, J Heasman
William Miles, J Heasman
Sir Henry Fletcher, Arthur Baker
Sir Henry Fletcher, Edwin Miles
Sir Henry Fletcher, Samuel Sellers Pyle

20th Century Churchwardens

 
1900-10
1911-21
1922-
1929-30
1938-39
1941
1944-46
1948-50
1951-52
1953-55
1955-66
1966-74
1974-77
1977-81
1981-84
1984-88
1988-90
1990-91
1991-93
1993-94
1994-96
1996-97
1997-99
1999-00
2000-02
2002-04
2004-05
2005-07

2007-08
2009-10
2011-12

2013-14
2014-15

Sir Henry Fletcher, Samuel S Pyle
John Tompkins, Samuel S Pyle
Dr Clement W Chaplin, JH Loveys
H Andrews, Oscar E Pyle

Oscar E Pyle, A Luck
Arthur Luck; Dr FH Alexander
D Donald; Dr FH Alexander
CM Butcher; JH Cordle
John B Knaggs; Leslie W Cunnington
Col. Sidney C Tomlin, Leslie W Cunnington
Col. Sidney C Tomlin, LJA Pearmain
Col. Sidney C Tomlin, Cdr GC Harris
Neil W Hare, Donald G Mellor
Donald G Mellor, Colin AL Tod
Colin AL Tod, AEM (Betty) Poskitt
AEM (Betty) Poskitt, Neil W Hare
AEM (Betty) Poskitt, Michael Williams
Michael Williams, Hazel Bradley
Hazel Bradley, Richard Hobden
Richard Hobden, June Hawke
June Hawke, Ronald Hale
Ronald Hale, Andrea Wood
Andrea Wood, Graeme Hobson
Graeme Hobson, Wendy Hart
Wendy Hart, John Whiting
John Whiting, Ina Cahill
Ina Cahill, Bob Hutchings
Bob Hutchings, June Hawke
June Hawke, Richard Hance

Richard Hance, Shelagh Downing
Shelagh Downing,
Andrew Forbes, Thelma Robinson
Thelma Robinson, Neil Giles

N A Rogers-Davis

( Page last updated: 26 January 2015)