cloth-searcher

1) An officer appointed by the Justices of Peace whose task it was to examine finished cloths in any of the clothiers’ workplaces, to ensure that no deceitful stretching or tentering had taken place.

Each cloth had to have a seal attached which recorded the length and weight. The role of the searcher complemented that of the ulnager who collected subsidies for the Crown, and the office became more prominent as successive Acts were passed, initially in 3 & 4 Edward VI and then in 39 Elizabeth: 1598 John Tottie ... clothier ... one of the searchers of Wakefeild

1647-8 Rich. Johnson, cloathworker to serve in the Office of Searcher of Broadcloth for Massam

1728 Petition by Thomas Fox of Gomersal to be a cloth-searcher

1743-4 Joshua Brook to be appointed Narrow Cloth Searcher with a salary of Ł50 p. a. and ... to go continually from one Mill to another and survey all Mills, Tenter Grounds, etc.

dates 1598 1647-1648 1728 1743-1744

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Photo by Kreuzschnabel CC BY-SA 3.0