How did local government work? Flashcards
What are central governments referring to?
-Monarch, PC, Court and Parliament
What did every county have?
-1 Lord Lieutenant
-30-60 Justices of the Peace (JP)
-sheriffs
-they all have different roles within the county
What was enforcing the law like?
-no guarantee that when a law was passed that it would become enforced throughout the country
-need to use the local government to make sure people are following the law and checking people are obeying the law and catch them if they are doing the wrong thing
What is the Local Government responsible for?
-making sure people are following the law and checking people are obeying it
-catch people if they are doing the wrong thing
-where trials would be held
What was a Lord Lieutenant?
-post created to institutionalise the role of leading magnates
-originally temporary position to command the local militia during emergencies but became permanent in 1580s
What other roles did a Lord Lieutenant often have?
-were often Privy Councillors and might have had responsibility for more than one shire (area)->their absence at the centre led to the creation of the post of Deputy Lord Lieutenant->usually part of the gentry
What responsibilities a Lord Lieutenant have?
-their responsibilities were mainly military and involved assembling, inspecting and training the local militia ->their administrative duties included assessing and collecting loans, supervising recusants and overseeing the enforcement of economic legislation
What did Justices of the Peace (JP) struggle with?
-the growth in workload in the 16th century was a result of pressure from the gentry who saw the office as a sign of prestige
-the burden on JPs increased as a result of the social and economic legislation passed during the reign
What were JP’s roles?
-their powers included enforcing legislation, investigating breaches of the law, hearing cases and determining sentences->they also administered the Poor Law, controlled sheriffs and licensed ale houses
-they were under the council’s control and there was frequent communication between central and local government
Was it a paid role? Why would they take the role?
-no->power because they determine sentences
What happened to Sheriff’s during Elizabeth’s reign?
-office declined in importance
How many meetings did sheriff’s have?
-presided over monthly meetings of the County Court
What roles did sheriffs have?
-swore juries, delivered prisoners to court and carried out sentences given by the Quarter Sessions
-responsible for delivering all royal writs
-presided over the County Court during elections, declaring the result and sending the returns to Chancery
What were Local officers?
-acted as constables, jurors and church wardens
What roles did Local officers have?
-elected Mps (if a freeholder worth over 40 shillings)
-other functions included repairing roads, distributing poor relief and even organising vermin control
