Borough Market Trustees

The City of London's Guildable Manor of the Town and Borough of Southwark, also known as the Guildable Manor, is the organisation of the Juror freemen of the Court Leet.

Southwark was granted to the citizens of London by a charter of Edward III in 1327, following a petition from the citizens because felons and thieves escaped the City into Southwark where they could not be followed. A further charter issued by Edward VI in 1550 aimed to ensure that Southwark was completely absorbed into the City by making the citizens lords of the three manors there - the Guildable Manor, the King's Manor and the Great Liberty. With royal permission, Lords of the Manor could hold a criminal court, called the court leet. The court leet tried an punished all minor crimes committed within the jurisdiction. They were particularly used to ensure trading standards were adhered to, such as weights and measures. The court generally sat only a few times each year - sometimes just annually. A matter was introduced into the court by means of a "presentment", from a local man or from the jury itself. Penalties were in the form of fines or imprisonment.

The Southwark Court Leet, held by the Guildable Manor, has a long association with the Borough Market Trustees - the Guildable Manor court used to appoint from its number officers described as 'Supervisors of the Market', and the Borough Market Trustees built themselves a new office with a Court Room on Southwark Street in 1932, which is where the Jury assembled until 1999.

For further information see the Guildable Manor website, http://www.guildablemanor.i12.com/ (accessed Sept 2009).