Wakefield Court Rolls 1338 - 1340

The Wakefield Court Rolls for the period 1338 - 1340 have recently been transcribed and published in the WCR Series by the YAS and describe the proceedings of the various sittings of the court across the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire for this period. The region basically cuts a swathe from Todmordon and Heptonstall in the west to Wakefield in the east and Holmfirth in the south.

Though some surnames were in use at this time, Jowett was not one of them, in this manor at least. There are however, several references to sons of Juliana which may be relevant and do come under my One Name Study. Whether these sons went on to take on the Surname Jowett we will never know, but they do provide interesting insights into life in south Yorkshire at this time - telling tales of debt, affray, theft, trespass and bootleg ale!

Two families seem to appear regularly - sons of Juliana in Holme to the south and Rastrick which is not far from the Halifax/Bradford area known to be rich in Jowetts.

The Rastrick family feature regularly throughout the records, mainly in the person of Thomas son of Juliana who seems to be at the centre of all the local misdoings. On October 2 1338 he was sued by Adam Batt and Henry Bythebrook for trespass, though three weeks later the suit is dropped (against Henry too by this time), Adam being amerced (fined) 4d, apparently for wasting time. Henry Bythebrok (or Byyebrook) seems to be a partner in crime for Thomas: that same week both of them are brought to the court again, this time by Modesta, wife of Thomas de Tothill, for unpaid debts of 20d for oats bought from her. This time they lose, are both forced to pay the debt and fined a further 2d each.

In April 1339 Thomas is again in trouble, with the Abbot of Fountains Abbey. On this occasion he is fined a total of 11d for carrying off timber from Bradeley Woods and, in a separate judgement on the same day, fined a further 2d for steeling greenwood (used as fodder). Things get worse – two days later Thomas is fined 6d for trespass against Brother William de Bradeley.

In May 1340 Thomas is in trouble again when an enquiry finds him guilty of carrying off a stone "called Thakston" from William son of Eva – total fine and cost 5d. The following day he and his old chum Henry Byyebrook are again found to owe money, this time to William son of Juliana (Thomas’s brother?), debts of 9d and 17d respectively, both of which are to be paid with fines of 2d each. Thomas also owes 4s to John del Frith. On the same day events take another turn when Thomas is also fined 6d for drawing blood from John son of John Stele!

Things get even worse the next month with a series of appearances at the court for Thomas, along with Henry by ye brok, Juliana wife of Richard (Thomas’s mother?), the above John Stele (not sure whether this is the father or the son) and Henry del Okes, concerning a trespass and rescue from the grave(ship) of Rastrick. Eventually Thomas and Juliana – now "formerly" wife of Richard – admit to trespass, and Juliana takes the blame for the rescue! The final appearance of this family concerns not Thomas, but William who takes our Henry by ye brook to the court for an unpaid debt of 11s 1d for an ox and hire of a cow.

Other regular occurences are in the Holme area where Richard son of Juliana appears several times concerning debts owed to Robert del Both, William de Bouderode and Adam del Grene; also Adam son of Juliana who surrenders land in Wolvedale and Henry son of Juliana who owes debts to John de Holme and Richard de Fouleston.

At Wakefield we get the only use of the pet form for Juliana. Here a Jouwet is fined 2d for vert (stealing greenwood). Other mentions of sons of Juliana appear in Sourby and Thurstanland – both for drawing blood – and in Hepworth a man of my own heart, William son of Juliana, is one of several people fined for brewing against the assize.

The actual entries (in chronological order) are:

Copyright S D Jowitt