Taken from the lid of a snuff box – private collection.

From 1784 to 1807 The Clerk of the Peace had to issue a certificate to all those who registered as being qualified to kill and sell game, this included manorial gamekeepers.  A fee was payable and the WRO holds the registration books, which give relevant information and the fee charged. Since I undertook my research the registers have been indexed which really helps.

 It is possible to trace the movements of a particular family by the details on the licences.  Below are the licences obtained by George Hartwright for over 20 years. Born in 1767 in Claines Worcestershire he was the youngest son of Thomas I of Claines by his second wife Elizabeth Jones.  George was a gamekeeper for more than twenty years within a radius of 12 miles of where he was born.  In 1806 he moved to the Upton-on-Severn, Worcs. area where he remained until he died. He was buried at Claines on 8 January 1833. George is the ancestor of the Canadian Hartwrights and some of the Hartwrights in the USA.

 Some idea of the game killed by gamekeepers can be seen in the following document at the WRO  “Mr Oliver’s Accounts for Game” from 1754-1760 which were sent to Hanbury Hall Worcs. They comprised:-

Partridge 229, Hares 9, Cockerills 88, Snipe 132, Pheasant 3, Quail 6, Duck 2 and Plover 1.

Here are details of George Hartwright's licences