Catalogue description Borough Holders and Freemen of Gateshead

This record is held by Tyne and Wear Archives

Details of GU.GAF
Reference: GU.GAF
Title: Borough Holders and Freemen of Gateshead
Description:

Company records

Date: 1776 - 1965
Held by: Tyne and Wear Archives, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Creator:

Borough Holders and Freemen of Gateshead

Physical description: 12 SERIES
Immediate source of acquisition:

Accession T545 (part), T549, 3606

Administrative / biographical background:

Certain properties in Gateshead carried a 'borough right' and the holders were known as 'borough holders'. The rights passed with the property and could be divided. Borough holders had to attend a fortnightly borough court [the lord of the manor's halmote court from 1684], but received the privileges of the power to make bye-laws and a share in the common fields.

 

The freemen were members of the various guilds which had grown up since the 16th century, and they became united with the borough holders in the management of the common fields, although they could not form a jury at the borough court.

 

The common fields were on Windmill Hills, Bensham town fields and on Gateshead Fell. These were administered by the four and twenty [the select vestry] until 1695, when control passed to the borough holders and freemen. They elected two stewards and four grassmen who allotted shrubs on the fields.

 

Bensham Town Fields were inclosed in 1818, Gateshead Fell in 1822. However, Windmill Hills remained in the control of the borough holders and freemen until 1861 when it was conveyed to Gateshead Corporation and became the town's first public park.

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