Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IV. THE CHURCHWARDENS AND THE PARISH REGISTERS. GARSTANG had, no doubt, at one time, its regular constituted body of sworn men, like Lancaster, Preston, Goosnargh, and Kirkham,1 but the distinct features which mark the select vestry in these places have not been preserved here. The oldest vestry book only dates back to 1734, and from it we glean the following items, which show that the parish work was entrusted to four churchwardens and twenty-four sidesmen, and that the parish itself (Pilling not being included) was divided into four quarters, each of which returned one churchwarden and six sidesmen, the latter being always called the gentlemen sidesmen, and apparently elected for life, or during the good will of the parishioners. A List of the names of the Gentlemen Sidesmen for the Parish of Garstang in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty four: For Garstang Quarter. Alexander Butler, Esq. (erased and over it Mr. James Raby.) Mr. William Sturzaker (William erased and Jas. inserted). Mr. Charles Sallom. Mr. John Wakefield. Mr. 1 See History oj.Kirkham, p. 88, and History of Goosnargh, p. 51. FOR WlERSDALE QUARTER. Mr. Edmund Winder. Mr. Jervise Burton (erased, over it Will. Hellme). Mr. Richard Mason. Mr. Brian Parker (erased, and Joh. Gardiner inserted). Mr. John Cortes. Mr. Edward Fox. Barnaker Quarter. Mr. Thomas Goose. Mr. Thomas Graves. Mr. John Dunderdale. Mr. Thomas Dunderdale (erased, and Robert Blackburne inserted, which is also struck out, and James Carpenter substituted). Mr. Richard Parkinson (erased, and Henry Walter inserted, and afterwards J. Bradley). Mr. James Corles (erased, and Mr. Richard Cortas inserted). Claughton Quarter. Mr. Thomas Whitehead. Mr. Richard G...