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Charting the town's privilege and progress

Newark has recently enjoyed two big summer festivals - the Town Council Festival which ended last week, and in June, the new Newark on Water Festival.

Fifty years ago, too, the town was en féte celebrating the 400th anniversary of the town's Royal Charter of Incorporation.

Today, the significance of this charter, granted by Edward VI in 1549, may seem a little obscure, but it was only through its enaction (and, indeed through a number of subsequent charters), that the town acquired the right to appoint its own Mayor and Justices of the Peace, raise taxes and hold fairs.

These privileges, however, did not come all at once, and in 1549 only the first trappings of civic dignity were allowed; the right to elect an alderman each year and 12 assistants with the power to collect certain amounts of money which became due to the town.

These monies were raised from a grant of land (passed to the new corporation through an exchange between the Bishop of Lincoln and the Crown) with an annual value of £40.

This money was then used to support the corporation in its work; in formulating by-laws; administering local charities; and in employing officers (such as a Surveyor of Beggars and Vagabonds) to discharge the corporation's civic responsibilities.

Further rights and privileges for the town came with a second charter granted in 1558 by Elizabeth I.

The alderman and three of his assistants could now be promoted to Justices of the Peace with powers to "send prisoners to the jaole of the shire with their warrant, and to have a prison of their owne for the punyshment of trespassers and breakers of the peace...also to appoynt the constables of the said towne."

The corporation was also allowed to acquire further lands to the value of £60 for the use of schools and almshouses.

The reign of Elizabeth was a time of great progress for Newark with both the town's trade (notably in wool) and its population expanding rapidly.

The corporation felt the new vitality warranted still further recognition and in 1579 they mounted a successful campaign for yet a third charter, granted once again by Elizabeth I.

The right to elect a town clerk, a recorder and a coroner were all confirmed, putting Newark on a par with some of its much larger neighbours. But there was still more to come.

In 1604 James I conferred a fourth Charter, increasing the number of justices and giving the town power to raise money by taxes - a step which effectively completed the transition from government by the old trade guilds to government by corporation.

There still remained, however, the matter of the town electing its own mayor and this privilege came only with a fifth charter granted in 1626 by Charles I.

Now truly there was little else that remained of civic value to be won for Newark except the right to return burgesses to parliament -and, following the town's unstinting loyalty to the Crown during the upheaval of the Civil War, this privilege was granted by Charles II.

It was proposed in 1673 and not adopted until 1677. (The town, in fact, became the last parliamentary borough in the country to be created by Royal Charter).

Newark's rise to civic maturity had taken more than 100 years and in July, 1949 - 400 years after Edward VI had granted the very first charter, and 50 years ago this month - it seemed entirely appropriate that Newark should roll out the red carpet and celebrate the anniversary of its incorporation as a municipal borough.

Coming as it did in the immediate post-war period, when shortages and rationing were still very much on the agenda, these Quater Centenary celebrations turned out to be a truly memorable occasion.

Encapsulated within a Civic Week (July 3-10, 1949) the celebrations were officially opened by the Duchess of Kent on Monday, July 4.

She arrived by rail at Northgate station and proceeded on a tour of all the main exhibitions mounted by local businesses and organisations - an industrial exhibition in a marquee in the London Road carpark; a civic exhibition in the council offices on Baldertongate (illustrating the work of each council department); an historical exhibition at the museum; a health exhibition in the Friary; and an arts and crafts exhibition at the town hall.

After attending a Civic Service in the parish church, the duchess and corporation processed into the Market Place where an historical dramatisation entitled, The Granting of the Charter was performed by a cast of 50 in period costume.

The duchess's final duty was to take the march past of the Progress Parade wherein more than 1,000 costumed participants, all local people, presented 400 years of Newark's history in a succession of imaginative tableaux.

The parade was headed by a troop of magnificently costumed horsemen, followed by the Newark British Legion Band.

They heralded the first episode which, appropriately, depicted the presentation of the Newark Charter of 1549 and the creation of the town's first Alderman, Anthony Forster.

Next came a 16th Century coach (produced by Holes Brewery Social Club), followed by the town's first Mayor, Henry Gill, presented by Ransome and Marles.

This was followed by perhaps the most colourful scene of the parade, the Civil War also presented by Ransome and Marles.

This week's picture shows Tom Grocock (right) and John Boxall, both employees of Ransome and Marles, as cavaliers processing along Appletongate as part of the civil war episode.

Next came the 18th Century represented by a body of early volunteer soldiers, marching past in their bright scarlet uniforms. This was followed by a depiction of 19th Century politics with W. E. Gladstone winning his first seat in Newark in 1832.

The succession of historical scenes in the Progress Parade brought 400 years of town history vividly to life, and is said to have greatly impressed the duchess.

Elsewhere in the town other Civic Week highlights included a river carnival on the Trent, a swimming gala at the Sherwood Avenue pool, and a variety evening at the Savoy cinema in Middlegate.

This last featured local amateur talent topped off with two major variety stars; the Australian Bill Kerr (later to find lasting fame on radio with Tony Hancock in Hancock's Half Hour), and the radio ventriloquist, Peter Brough with Archie Andrews.

The Civic Week ended on Sunday, July 10 with community hymn singing in the Friary grounds and a special radio link-up with Newark New Jersey in the USA.

ABOVE: Part of the Progress Parade during Newark's Civic Week of July 1949. Tom Grocock, right, and John Boxall are pictured as cavaliers in the Civil War episode.

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