Louth
As reference is made in the York and the King’s Lynn records to the Louth Waits, Al Garrod was asked to look into the Louth records. Here are the results of his search. Unfortunately, no references to Waits have as yet come to light. If anyone can offer alternative sources or likely repositories of original documents, please contact us. Chris.
Introduction
Louth records are hard to find. Most records deposited at the Lincolnshire County Archives date from after 1836. The majority of documents from before 1836 relate to Louth Grammar School. An Archivist suggested that we enquire with Louth museum, to see if they keep any other documents of interest. That’s a job for another day.
The following extracts are what I found in the Archives.
Louth Corporation Minutes 1775-1825 (Louth GS/D/1)
10 September 1774
“Ordered that William Bradley of this Town, Carpenter, Do take an Account and Ameasurement of all the Incroachments within the Town and report the same at our next meeting in pursuance of the Authority now granted to him for that purpose under the Common Se[e]”
15 June 1775
“Ordered that Willaim Bradley do on or before next Saturday senight [means “a week on Saturday”]bring the Warden for a Plan and Estimate for the new Sheep Pens intended to be made in the Sheep market.”
16 August 1775
“Allowed William Bradley One Guinea for his Trouble in laying out the Ground Drawing Plans for the Pens.”
20 November 1779
“[A lease] to Joseph Dickinson of lands in North and South Somercote’s…” [was] “…this day sealed”.
My observations:
I did not read the whole of the minute book, just from 1774 – 1787. In those first 177 pages there are no entries that specifically mention waits.
The Minutes book itself is signed after each set of minutes – by no more than 6 men. Lee and Wrigglesworth are family names that crop up on Lincoln Council too.
There is a Joseph Dickinson buried in St martin’s Churchyard in Lincoln. I think he was a boat owner, but Dickinson is a common name and they could easily be 2 different people.