Catalogue description LICENCE PAPERS: PARISH CLERKS, MIDWIVES ETC

The records listed below comprise affidavits of competence, letters of recommendation etc which were submitted as part of the licensing process.

A number have been extracted from the marriage licence series (EDC 8). The majority were on file formerly listed as part of EDX. The arrangement of the documents on the files did not appear to be significant apart from being loosely chronological. However the order has been recorded in the list below in the figure in brackets, eg (3/2) indicates the second document in file number 3. In the case of some appointments of parish clerks, the licence of the previous office holder was returned with the application for his successor: when this occurs, the licence is listed under its original date of issue, but the file ref (eg (1/3) etc) indicates the original arrangement.

Midwives, physicians and surgeons, schoolmasters and parish clerks required a licence from the bishop in order to practise. Such licences were generally issued by the bishop's chancellor or official, often in the consistory court.