George Parkhurst, mayor of Guildford

The name Parkhurst is part of the old legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family resided in the region of Parkhurst or wood in the park. Parkhurst is a geographic surname, which given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree.

George parkhurst of Guildford, Surrey, is first found on record on the first page of the Guildford Borough records on 3 April 1514, apparently receiving a license to sell to the local market. Later that year he was chosen as a Hallwarden.

This office had the responsibility of the actual fabric of the Guild Hall as well as the collection of sums due to the Guild Merchant for Admissions, and son on. Two men usually served together. A Century later, they were Borough Treasurers in general.

The medieval Guildhall is now gone, the present building on the site in High Street having been built in the 17th century.

On 6 October 1515, George Parkhurst was named Bailiff. On 18 January 1517/18, he was again sworn in as a Hallwarden. He is on the first list of Approved Men on 3 October 1519. Approved men were associates of the Mayor, entry being restricted to those who had served as Bailiff.

There are many more entries in the Borough records for his appointment as Hallwardfen and he was on the list of Approved Men year after year for the rest of his life.

On 15 January 1514/15, he and Henry Cowper (his cousin) were sworn in as Flesh and Fish Tasters.

In 1516, George and his cousins Thomas Polstead, Henry Coper (Cowper, Cooper) and Richard Baron were granted land in Godalming (just south of Guildford) from their grandparents Thomas and Ann Baron, which their grandmother Ann (Glover) Baron had inherited from her parents, Thomas and Julian Glover.

In 1522 George Parkhurst was elected Mayor and Coroner of Guildford, being sworn in 6 October. He was re-elected Mayor in 1529 and 1533. In 1533 he was one of two men elected a warden of the scole house (school house).

In a list of "harnes appoynted withint the Towne of Guldeford" in 1539, the third entry is: "George Parkehurst the Elder A harnes with...a Byll in his owne handes". This meant that he was a member of the local militia with a suit of armor and a weapon, the bill being a form of pike used by the English militia then, harness being an archaic word for a suit of armor.

On 27 April 1545, fines were levied against William Hamonde senior (2d.), Thomas Soughton (4d.), George Parkhurst (6d.) and several others for "permit[ting] their taverns in the High Street to be inclosed to the common nuisance." A year later he was fined 4 pence for the same offence.

George Parkhurst probably died between 27 April 1545 and 2 May 1546 as he is mentioned in the Guildford Borough records on the earlier date, but is not on the tax list of the latter date. Christopher Parkhurst is called "son and Heir of George Parkhurst" in 1550 in a Surrey Feet of Fines.

The earliest mention so far found of the name Parkhurst is of a place of that name in the parish of Abinger Hammer, county Surrey, on a record of 1464. Parkhurst is about 9 miles SEE of Guildford. It was from this wooded park, so named, that the family took its name. By the early 1500's Parkhursts were living in Shere, Guildford, Shalford and nearby.

Sources:

Author: Threlfall, John Brooks

Title: Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England & Their Origins

Abbrev: Fifty Great Migration Colonists

Publication: John Brooks Threlfall, Madison, Wisconsin 1990

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From 'General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales,' p. 776

Parkhurst (London). Ar. a cross erm. betw. four bucks trippant ppr. Crest---Out of a pallisado coronet or, a buck's head erased ar. attired of the first.

[The arms of this branch of the Parkhurst family]

Parkhurst (Guildford, co. Surrey). Same Arms. Crest---A demi griffin, wings endorsed sa. holding in the dexter paw a cutlass ar. hilt and pommel or.

[Other related Parkhurst arms]

Parkhurst (Ripple, co. Worcester; FLEETWOOD PARKHURST of that place, was High Sheriff co. Worcester in 1792). Same Arms and Crest.

Parkhurst. [General arms] Same Arms. Crest---A griffin ramp. per fess or and gu.

Parkhurst (Lord Mayor of London, 1635). Same Arms, on a chief gu. three crescents or.

Parkhurst (Hall, co. Norfolk; granted 2 Elizabeth). Same Arms and Crest.

Sources:

Title: Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England and Their Origins

Author: John Brooks Threlfall

Publication: Madison, Wisconson, 1990

Repository:

Media: Book

Page: p. 281

Title: Guildford Borough Records 1514-1546

Author: Enid M. Dance

Publication: Butler & Tanner for the Surrey Record Society, 1958

Repository:

Media: Book

Page: p. 3

Title: Guildford Borough Records 1514-1546

Author: Enid M. Dance

Publication: Butler & Tanner for the Surrey Record Society, 1958

Repository:

Media: Book

Page: pp. 5, 6 & 18

Title: Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England and Their Origins

Author: John Brooks Threlfall

Publication: Madison, Wisconson, 1990

Repository:

Media: Book

Page: p. 283

Title: Historical Records of the Second Royal Surrey, or Eleventh Regiment of Militia, with Introductory Chapters

Author: John Davis, Esq. (Captain in the Regiment)

Publication: Marcus Ward & Co. Chandos St., Strand, 1877

Repository:

Media: Book

Page: p. 38

Text: "ARMES TO BE PROVIDED ANNO XXX. HEN. VIII. [1539]

...

This is the Harnes appoynted within the Towne of Guildeford.

...

Item. George Parkhurst, the elder, a harnes, with a byll in his owne handes.

Title: The Shillinglee Archives

Author: Turnour family of Shillinglee, Sussex, Earls fo Winterton

Publication: West Sussex Record Office

Repository:

Media: Official Document

Page: ref. SHILLINGLEE/1/30

Text: 2 October 1516

Grant

Two seals

By Thomas Baron and Ann his wife, one of the daughters and heirs of Thomas Glover, late of Godalming, deceased, to Thomas Polstead, Henry Coper, George Parkherst and Richard Baron, of all the said Ann's portion &c in Godalming, which descended to the said Ann from the said Thomas Glover and Julian his wife.

Dated 2 October 8 Henry VIII.

In 1522 George Parkhurst was elected Mayor and Coroner of Guildford, being sworn in 6 October. He was re-elected Mayor in 1529 and 1533.

George parkhurst of Guildford, Surrey, is first found on record on the first page of the Guildford Borough records on 3 April 1514, apparently receiving a license to sell to the local market. Later that year he was chosen as a Hallwarden.

This office had the responsibility of the actual fabric of the Guild Hall as well as the collection of sums due to the Guild Merchant for Admissions, and son on. Two men usually served together. A Century later, they were Borough Treasurers in general.

The medieval Guildhall is now gone, the present building on the site in High Street having been built in the 17th century.

On 6 October 1515, George Parkhurst was named Bailiff. On 18 January 1517/18, he was again sworn in as a Hallwarden. He is on the first list of Approved Men on 3 October 1519. Approved men were associates of the Mayor, entry being restricted to those who had served as Bailiff.

There are many more entries in the Borough records for his appointment as Hallwardfen and he was on the list of Approved Men year after year for the rest of his life.

On 15 January 1514/15, he and Henry Cowper (his cousin) were sworn in as Flesh and Fish Tasters.

In 1516, George and his cousins Thomas Polstead, Henry Coper (Cowper, Cooper) and Richard Baron were granted land in Godalming (just south of Guildford) from their grandparents Thomas and Ann Baron, which their grandmother Ann (Glover) Baron had inherited from her parents, Thomas and Julian Glover.

In 1522 George Parkhurst was elected Mayor and Coroner of Guildford, being sworn in 6 October. He was re-elected Mayor in 1529 and 1533. In 1533 he was one of two men elected a warden of the scole house (school house).

In a list of "harnes appoynted withint the Towne of Guldeford" in 1539, the third entry is: "George Parkehurst the Elder A harnes with...a Byll in his owne handes". This meant that he was a member of the local militia with a suit of armor and a weapon, the bill being a form of pike used by the English militia then, harness being an archaic word for a suit of armor.

On 27 April 1545, fines were levied against William Hamonde senior (2d.), Thomas Soughton (4d.), George Parkhurst (6d.) and several others for "permit[ting] their taverns in the High Street to be inclosed to the common nuisance." A year later he was fined 4 pence for the same offence.

George Parkhurst probably died between 27 April 1545 and 2 May 1546 as he is mentioned in the Guildford Borough records on the earlier date, but is not on the tax list of the latter date. Christopher Parkhurst is called "son and Heir of George Parkhurst" in 1550 in a Surrey Feet of Fines.

The earliest mention so far found of the name Parkhurst is of a place of that name in the parish of Abinger Hammer, county Surrey, on a record of 1464. Parkhurst is about 9 miles SEE of Guildford. It was from this wooded park, so named, that the family took its name. By the early 1500's Parkhursts were living in Shere, Guildford, Shalford and nearby.

Sources:

Author: Threlfall, John Brooks

Title: Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England & Their Origins

Abbrev: Fifty Great Migration Colonists

Publication: John Brooks Threlfall, Madison, Wisconsin 1990

Occupation Tavern Keeper Guildford, Surrey, England, United Kingdom Flesh and Fish Tasters 15 January 1514/15 Guildford, Surrey, England Merchant 3 April 1514 Guildford, Surrey, England Hall Warden after 3 April 1514 Guildford, Surrey, England Bailiff 6 October 1515 Guildford, Surrey, England 18/18 January 1517/1518 Hallwarden in Guildford Custom Event Event 3 April 1514 Received a license to sell to the local market in Guildford Event 3 October 1519 On the first list of Approved Men in Guildford Event Bef 6 October 1522 Elected Mayor and Coroner of Guildford Event 6 October 1522 Sworn in as Mayor and Coroner of Guildford Event 1529 Re-elected Mayor of Guildford Event 1533 Elected as warden of the scole house (school house) Event 1533 Re-elected Mayor of Guildford Event 15/15 January 1514/1515 Sworn in with Henry Cowper (his cousin) as Flesh and Fish Taster

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