Admiralty Court of York

Among the records of the Admiralty Court of York, held at the Borthwick Institute, is a collection of Constable's Returns of Seamen, under reference DRP/Adm CT.


It appears that the Admiralty, under the Lord High Admiral, required regular updates of potential mariners in case of war. The surveys were carried out via the Admiralty's Marshall for Yorkshire, and were addressed to the constables of the townships adjoining the navigable rivers of Yorkshire.


The requests for returns were printed and signed by one of the notaries working in the Admiralty Court in York.



Example of a Request for Returns for Bubwith parish


Returns survive mostly for the late 17th - early 18th centuries, and curiously some had a sum of money against the names, and a total of these monies, by parish, exists for 1707. The returns for Aughton were disappointing and simply said 'nil' or 'none', but the names of the constables for Aughton and East Cottingwith were given, as follows:


1707

Aughton

Nil


William Shearborne - Constable


1733

Aughton


John Hewson - Constable


East Cottingwith


John Holm - Constable


1744

Aughton


William Huson - Constable


East Cottingwith

Nil


John  Colbert - Constable


1749

Aughton


William Huson - Constable

East Cottingwith

Nil


John  Swan - Constable