BROMSGROVE COURT LEET
Members of the Bromsgrove Court Leet
Bromsgrove Court Leet members each take on various roles and responsibilities within the Court, all of whom uphold the traditions of this ancient organisation.
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The Court is answerable to the Lord of the Manor of Bromsgrove, who in medieval times was directly responsible to the King of England. The head of the Court is the Bailiff with the Reeve as second in command. The Lord of the Manor is represented by his Steward and the Court has a Marshal, Chappelyn, Bellman & Towncrier, Custodian of the Records & Herald, Treasurer and Market Master. Members of the Court Jury act as officers of the Court who are co-ordinated by the Foreman of the Jury and have roles such as Ale Taster, Breadweigher, Searcher and Sealer of Leather, Carniter, and Brook-looker – modern day trading standards.
The Jurymen swear an oath to take on the roles of Reeve and Bailiff in the future. The Headborough and Constable of the Court leads the Tythingmen who each have responsibility for their tything area (yield). Within the Manor of Bromsgrove there are thirteen tythings. Past Bailiffs of the Court are known as Ealdormen and three Ealdormen are elected as Affeerors to sit on the Inner Court and ensure the traditions are upheld. New members are nominated by existing members and elected to the court at the Great Autumn Court or the Spring Court meeting, both held annually.
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At the Autumn Court in November 2024 Mark Robinson was elected Bailiff. Throughout his year in office Mark will raise funds for two local charities: St John's Church Spire Appeal justgiving.com/campaign/stjohns-spire and Avoncroft Museum avoncroft.org.uk
Pictured above left to right:
New Juror - Michele Ford
Bailiff - Mark Robinson
Immediate Past Bailiff - Philip Thomas
Reeve - Robert Spittle
New Juror - Michael Webb
The Court for the year from November 2024 looks like this:
Chris Bird – The Lord of the Manor since 1972 when the title was passed down from his grandfather.
John Fisher – The Steward, represents the Lord of the Manor in the Court.
Mark Robinson - Bailiff of Bromsgrove Court Leet. Mark joined the Court as the Tythingman for Gannow in November 2013 and became a Member of the Jury at the Autumn Court in November 2020 where he served as the Brook-Looker. He was elected Reeve in 2023.
Robert Spittle - The Reeve, second in command. Rob was elected to the Court November 2018 and has served on the Jury as Senior Ale Taster.
Philip Thomas - Immediate Past Bailiff, elected at the Autumn Court on 9th November 2023. Philip joined the Court in November 2018 as a Member of the Jury where he served as Carnitor and Ale Taster.
Joanne Slade – Ealdorman, Custodian of the Records & Herald. Jo was the first female to be elected Bailiff of our Court in November 2019. She is daughter of the late Ealdorman David Slade, Bailiff in the 800th Year of the Court. Jo served as Bailiff for a second year following re-election at the Autumn Court on 6th November 2020 due to the cancellation of events caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Richard Harper – The Marshal; responsible for keeping the Court in order at Court meetings and events.
T. Matthew Horton, John P Rogers, Jeremy Sharp – Affeerors
Roger Weaver, John Burman – Affeeror Emeritus
Kevin Ward - Bellman & Towncrier “Oyez, oyez, oyez!” Kevin has been the Bellman to the Court since 1985, his great, great, great grandfather was the last Town Crier in Birmingham from 1827 til 1882 when he died.
John Wheatley – Court Treasurer. John served as Bailiff, elected in 2015
Rev'd Ray Khan – Chappelyn, Ray is the vicar at the Parish Church of St John’s. The Court attend the Patronal Service annually on the Sunday after Fair Day.
Charlie Ayres - Constable & Headborough.
Robert J Richardson (obit) - Bob joined the Court in the late 1960s, and is the longest standing member of the Court. He was Tythingman for Buntsford when he joined and moved to Town Yield at Autumn Court 1972. At Autumn Court 1986, he was elected Headborough, a position he held until 2003 when he was given the title of Honorary Constable.
​​​Geoffrey A Evans - Honorary Constable. Geoff served as Headborough from 6th November 2003 until 6th November 2020
David Coulson - Market Master
Bill Tucker - Foreman of the Jury, elected Bailiff in 2018
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Jonathan Till – Senior Ale Taster, elected to the Court in November 2018
Ray Giles – Brooklooker, elected to the Court in November 2011
Jamie Leavesley – Deputy Street Market Master, elected to the Court in November 2022
Rod Laight – Senior Ale Taster, elected to the Court in November 2023
Robert Pryde – Deputy Ale Taster, elected to the Court in November 2023
Patrick Firminger – Juror, elected to the Court in October 2010
Cyril Day - Breadweigher, elected to Jury at the Spring Court 2024, previously Tythingman for Burcot
Michele Ford - Carnitor of Flesh and Fish, elected to the Court in November 2024
Michael Webb - Searcher & Sealer of Leather, elected to the Court in November 2024
The Jury
Ealdormen with year elected Bailiff
Roger Weaver Affeeror Emeritus 1973
T. Matthew Horton Affeeror 1984
Kenneth Pinfield Ealdorman 1989
John Morris Ealdorman 1990
John Burman Affeeror Emeritus 1994
Richard Wilkinson Ealdorman 1997
Tim Harris Ealdorman 1999
Graham Boyles Ealdorman 2003
Jeremy Sharp Affeeror 2004
Dennis Norton Ealdorman 2007
Group Captain John P Rogers Ealdorman 2008
Martin Connellan Ealdorman 2011
Richard Harper Ealdorman 2013
John Wheatley Ealdorman 2015
Philip Harper Ealdorman 2016
Nick Pinfield Ealdorman 2017
Dr William Tucker Ealdorman 2018
Joanne Slade Ealdorman 2019 & 2020
Neil Beaumont 2021
Robert Bird 2022
Philip Thomas 2023
The Tythingmen and their yields
Bonehill Yield - Tythingman Terry Bacon
Buntsford Yield & Deputy Ale Taster - Tythingman Adrian Smith
Burcot Yield - Open
Catshill Yield & Market Master - Tythingman David Coulson
Chadwick Yield - Tythingman David G Thomas
Dodford Yield - Tythingman Richard Abbotts
Fockbury Yield - Tythingman Richard Nokes
Gannow Yield - Tythingman Peter Gale
Lickey Common Yield - Tythingman Michael Adams
Padstone Yield - Open
Shepley Yield – Tythingman Geoff Hawkesworth
Timberhonger Yield – Tythingman Jeff Evans
Town Yield - Tythingman Susan Norton
Tutnall Yield - Michelle Holsey-Sheppard
Willingwick Yield - Vacant
Woodcote Yield - Vacant
