24 RECORDERS OF PLYMOUTH. 



1743, 4. He was succeeded in the office by his eldest 

 son, Sir John Rogers, the third Baronet, who was also 

 an Alderman, and held it until his death in 1773 ; 

 whereupon Sir Frederick Rogers, Baronet, the then 

 Commissioner of H. M. Dock Yard, at Plymouth, 

 was elected, and held it until his death in 1777, when 

 his eldest son, the fifth baronet, Sir Frederick Leman 

 Rogers, was elected, and held it until his death in 

 1797, being at the same time an Alderman, and one 

 of the town's representatives in Parliament. With 

 this gentleman the family connection was broken, (his 

 eldest son being a minor,) after four members of it had 

 held the office in succession for eighty years. On this 

 occasion a controversy ensued amongst the electors, 

 but William Elford, Esq., F. R. S., of Bickham, near 

 this town, proved the successful candidate, and held 

 the office until 1833, when he resigned it. Having 

 been created a Baronet he is better known as Sir 

 William Elford. 



Most of these elections, since a very early period, 

 had taken place in the name of the Mayor and Com- 

 monalty, by the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common- 

 council, and were quietly acquiesced in by the body at 

 large. There could be no doubt however that the 

 charter of 18th Henry VI. had conferred the election 

 on the Commonalty, and however delegated by any 

 bye law, was capable of resumption by that body. 

 The Aldermen and Common council of the present 

 day, actuated by the best motives, voluntarily renoun- 

 ced any desire to interfere, and in February last the 

 Mayor and Commonalty resumed their former right, 

 and elected, without controversy, one of the Bench of 

 Aldermen, Henry Woollcombe, Esq., F. S. A., &c.,to 

 be their Recorder. This gentleman had served the 

 office of Mayor in 1813, and being a native, and resi- 

 dent in the town, and well known to the Commonalty, 

 was called on by a large body of the electors, without 

 solicitation on his part, to offer himself for the offiice, 

 and he was most handsomely elected into it. 



