HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 359 



aldwell, Esq. of Linley Wood, who was elected in 1801, and that 

 of Town Clerk, by Thomas Sparrow, Esq. who has held the office 

 since 1789. 



The Guildhall of the Borough is a large and handsome brick edi- 

 fice, ornamented with stone pilasters, and standing in the centre of 

 the Market-place. Nearly adjacent to it is an elegant stone Cross, 

 surrounded by a flight of steps for the accommodation of the market. 



Two Members are returned to Parliament by the resident Bur- 

 gesses of this Borough. This privilege has been exercised ever 

 since 1352, and probably for a longer period, as the time when the 

 right was first obtained is not known. It appears from a Report of 

 the House of Commons, made by the Committee of Privileges in 

 1624, that the right of Election was then considered to belong 

 exclusively to the Common Council ; but the resident Burgesses at 

 large have long been admitted to share in the Elections, and their 

 right is now for ever confirmed by the last Resolution of the House 

 of Commons, which passed in the year 1792. 



The Freedom of the Borough is acquired in four different ways. 

 1st. by Birth, the claimant having been born within the Borough, 

 the son of a sworn Burgess residing there at the time of the birth ; 

 2d. by Service for Seven Years within the Borough, under an 

 Indenture of Apprenticeship inrolled with the Town Clerk; 3d. by 

 Purchase ; and 4th. by Gift, from the Common Council of the Bo- 

 rough. Absence from the Borough for a year and a day successive- 

 ly after admission to Freedom, operates as a permanent loss of the 

 Franchise. The Mayor and two Bailiffs are the Returning Officers. 



The following are the total numbers of the Burgesses who voted 

 at the nine last contested Elections for Newcastle : 



In 1734, 444, 



1774, 465, 



1790, 564, 



1792, 569, 



1793, 562, 



1802, 555, 



1807, 622, 



1812, 645, 



1815 621. 



This Borough is at present represented in Parliament by Sir 

 JOHN CHETWODE, Bart, of Oakley, and Sir JOHN FENTON 

 BOUGHEY, Bart, of Aqualate, both in this County. The latter 

 gentleman is a native of the Borough, and was elected for the first 



3 Z 



