The 1831 Militia List for Wavendon

An amendment was made to the Militia Act in 1762, so that all men between 18 & 45 years of age (with a few exceptions) were liable to be conscripted into the Militia by ballot.  This is a transcription of the surviving Militia Ballot List for Wavendon, compiled in February 1831.

45 Geo. III [1831] Buckinghamshire Militia Return to be made by the Constable to the Clerk of the Sub-division Meeting.Parish of Wavendon, list of Persons between 18 and 45

No. Name Description Age If any Child, and if any, whether any under 14 Exmpt or Not Exempt from Militia Gounds of Exemption Effective Volunteer or Yeoman
1 Thomas Ambridge Labourer 30 4 Exempt Children 4
2 John Bennett Gent. 24 Not Exempt
3 Edward Bennett Apprentice 19 Exempt Apprentice
4 William Birt Labourer 38 4 Exempt Children 4
5 George Birt Servant 30 Not Exempt
6 Thomas Birt Labourer 28 Not Exempt
7 John Birt Labourer 20 Not Exempt
8 George Bodsworth Harness maker 34 4 Not Exempt
9 Robert Bovington Servant 23 Not Exempt
10 William Butcher Labourer 25 Not Exempt
11 Thomas Butcher Groom 31 Not Exempt
12 James Butcher Groom 28 2 Exempt Children 2
13 Robert Butcher Labourer 33 4 Exempt Children 4
14 John Butcher Labourer 24 1 Not Exempt
15 Francis Burrowes Servant 22 Not Exempt
16 Joseph Burrowes Labourer 29 2 Exempt Children 2
17 Thomas Burrowes Labourer 20 Not Exempt
18 John Clarke Labourer 19 Not Exempt
19 James Clarke Labourer 23 Not Exempt
20 William Clarke Labourer 21 1 Not Exempt
21 Thomas Cooke Labourer 21 Not Exempt
22 George Cooke Servant 30 Not Exempt
23 William Chance Labourer 20 Not Exempt
24 William Clapham Labourer 32 4 Exempt Children 4
25 Henry Collins Labourer 19 Not Exempt
26 George Collins Labourer 23 3 Exempt Children 3
27 Thomas Cox Labourer 43 6 Exempt Children 6
28 Daniel Eaton Labourer 40 4 Exempt Children 4
29 James Facer Labourer 35 4 Exempt Children 4
30 John Farr Labourer 26 4 Exempt Children 4
31 Francis Garratt Labourer 35 1 Not Exempt
32 Thomas Garratt Labourer 26 Not Exempt
33 Nicholas Gardner Servant 21 Not Exempt
34 Daniel Grace Blacksmith 32 2 Not Exempt
35 Thomas Giles Labourer 25 3 Exempt Children 3
36 James Goodall Labourer 21 1 Not Exempt
37 William Gowen Labourer 32 1 Not Exempt
38 George Gregory Labourer 35 4 Exempt Children 4
39 Daniel Hammond Labourer 43 4 Exempt Children 4
40 Richard Harris Cordwainer 22 Not Exempt
41 William Harris Cordwainer 19 Not Exempt
42 John Hands Labourer 37 2 Exempt Children 2
43 George Hilyer Victualler 34 3 Not Exempt
44 William Higgs Tailor 25 Not Exempt
45 George Hebbs Labourer 30 Not Exempt A Ballotted Man served 5 years by substitute
46 Thomas Holmes Labourer 38 4 Exempt Children 4
47 William Hebbs Labourer 35 1 Not Exempt
48 Thomas Hight Apprentice 20 Exempt Apprentice
49 John Hobbs Rat Catcher 36 4 Exempt Special Constable
50 James Hudson Labourer 26 4 Exempt Children 4
51 William Hull Broom Maker 18 Not Exempt
52 John Hutton Labourer 43 4 Exempt Children 4
53 William Hollyhock Groom 21 Not Exempt
54 Henry Ingram Servant 21 Not Exempt
55 William Inwood Labourer 21 Not Exempt
56 John Inwood Labourer 19 Not Exempt
57 Charles Inwood Cordwainer 30 7 Not Exempt
58 George Jackson Labourer 30 2 Exempt Children 2
59 James Jackson Labourer 26 Not Exempt
60 Josiah Jackson Labourer 21 Not Exempt
61 William Joyce Labourer 24 1 Not Exempt
62 William King Maltster 25 Not Exempt
63 John King Farmers son 21 Not Exempt
64 Samuel King Baker 24 1 Exempt Yeoman
65 Samuel Kitelee Labourer 26 1 Not Exempt
66 Thomas King Maltster 29 Not Exempt
67 John Lane Labourer 38 5 Exempt Children 5
68 Jospeh Lane Labourer 30 4 Exempt Children 4
69 William Lane Labourer 29 4 Exempt Children 5
70 James Lane Labourer 24 Not Exempt
71 Benjamin Leach Labourer 21 Not Exempt
72 Thomas Leach Labourer 29 1 Not Exempt
73 Richard Mabley Blacksmith 41 2 Not Exempt
74 Jospeh Massey Labourer 21 Not Exempt
75 James Mitchell Broom Maker 20 Not Exempt
76 William Morris Labourer 23 Not Exempt
77 James Morris Labourer 28 Not Exempt
78 John Morris Labourer 32 2 Exempt Children 2
79 Jesse Moss Labourer 38 2 Exempt Children 3
80 William Meltman(?) Labourer 44 2 Exempt Children 4
81 Thomas Odams Gent. 21 Exempt Yeoman
82 Edward Padbury Groom 38 4 Exempt Children 4
83 Noah Philips Farmer 26 1 Not Exempt
84 Thomas Sharpe Carpenter 28 Not Exempt
85 William Shouler Farmer 31 Not Exempt
86 John Scott Labourer 30 5 Exempt Children 5
87 William Smith Labourer 29 1 Not Exempt
88 Josiah Spreckley Butcher 37 2 Not Exempt
89 William Tansley Labourer 26 3 Exempt Children 3
90 Thomas Tansley Labourer 33 3 Exempt Children 3
91 George Tite Carpenter 30 Not Exempt
92 Charles Tite Carpenter 27 Not Exempt
93 William Todd Labourer 44 4 Exempt Children 4
94 George Warwick Baker 29 Not Exempt
95 Joseph Watts Harness maker 25 Not Exempt
96 James Whitlock Labourer 37 5 Exempt Children 5
97 Robert White Labourer 33 5 Exempt Children 5
98 James White Labourer 43 2 Exempt Children 2 Special Constable
99 George Wrench Labourer 20 Not Exempt
100 James Yates Labourer 39 5 Exempt Children 5
101 Joseph Yates Labourer 33 Not Exempt
102 John Young Farmer 41 4 Not Exempt
103 James Clarke Labourer 22 Not Exempt

“TAKE NOTICE That [blank] Fifth day of February at the hour of Eleven in the forenoon is appointed for hearing Appeals, within this sub-division, at the Saracens Head in Newport Pagnell by persons claiming to be Exempt from serving in the Militia, and that no further Appeals will be heard. And also that the Party who on that day neglects to Appeal, is under a penalty of Twenty Shillings, or one Weeks Imprisonment.”
“John Plowman, Constable of the Parish of Wavendon.”
5th February 1831 Verified on the Oath of John Plowman Before us: J B Band(?) & V A Talbot.

 

Thomas Plowman’s Mercy Petition, 1833

In July 1833, Thomas Plowman of Wavendon was arrested for stealing goods from a Leighton tailor. He had stolen ten pair of breeches, six yards of cloth, three waistcoats, 23 yards of fustian [heavy cotton cloth for menswear], and other goods, the property of Mr. Thomas Dumpleton, tailor, of Leighton Buzzard, Beds. Within a month of the crime, he found himself being tried for Larceny at the Bedfordshire Summer Assizes, at Bedford, and his story covered in local newspapers.

Plowman had worked for Dumpleton for seven months. He then left his employ and said he was starting his own business at Fenny Stratford.  On 29th June, Dumpleton left his shop safe, but on his return on 1st July, he found his goods missing.

Dumpleton searched Fenny Stratford for Plowman, then went to see Plowman’s wife at The George, Little Brickhill, then went on to Yardley, with no sign of him. The next week, Plowman appeared back at Dumpletons shop, and stated that, on the night of the robbery, he had been with his brother at Weston Underwood.  He then left the shop, but Dumpleton gave chase, calling “Stop thief!”  Plowman turned and pulled a knife, saying he would stab anyone who tried to hold him if they didn’t have a warrant. He escaped across a brook, but a constable caught up with him, and arrested him.

Dumpleton later found his goods for sale in a pawnbroker’s shop in Coventry.

Richard Clark, woodman, gave evidence to the Court that Plowman had been offering waistcoats and breeches for sale at the Black Horse Inn, Stratford. He had bought some, and afterwards they had journeyed together towards Daventry.

William Coningworth, pawnbroker, Coventry, gave evidence that Plowman had been to his shop and sold him the goods, in return for £3 5s, using the name “John Newman”.

Plowman declined to make any defence at the trial, but he had received a good character reference for honesty from several witnesses in Leighton Buzzard and Wavendon. He was sentenced to seven years’ transportation.

Thomas Ploughman’s letter, begging for mercy from the Court, is lodged at The National Archives [ref. HO 17/55/31] It notes his previous good character, his utmost contrition, and is strongly recommended by the prosecutor for mercy. It states he has a ‘suffering wife & three infant children’ and the Gaoler reported, ‘Character good”. The letter is not signed by Plowman himself, but is signed by the prosecutor and 55 inhabitants of Leighton Buzzard and Wavendon. It is also annotated: “Removed to the Penitentiary.”

The following are the names of the Wavendon tradesmen who signed his mercy petition:

John Fisher, C. Ch. Wavendon [vicar]
Edward Bennett
William Shouler, grazier
James Roberts, shoemaker
Richard Harris, leather worker[?]
James Harris, shoemaker
James Hutton, grazier
George Hillyer, grazier
Thomas Hight, blacksmith
Joseph Watts, tailor
John Nicholls, grocer
Richard John Monthorpe[?], schoolmaster
George Warwick, baker
William Higgs, tailor
Thomas Hillyar, parish clerk
William Rogers, grazier
William Tite, Plumer
George Bosworth, sadlar
George Tite, carpenter
William King, maltser