The clerk or secretary to the corporation of a town, who has charge of the records, correspondence, and legal business, the conduct of municipal elections, etc.
1343. Inq. ad q. d., 263/18, in List (1904), 399. [Si concedamus Thome de Legh de Oxonia] tounclerk.
13[?]. S. Eng. Leg. (MS. Bodl. 779), in Herrig’s Archiv, LXXXII. 419/17. Þey him made toun-clerke … Alle aȝen his wille.
1433. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 476/1. Charged bi the Toun Clerk for the tyme beyng.
1526. Tindale, Acts xix. 35. When the toune clarcke [Gr. γραμματεύς] had cessed the people he sayd: Ye men of Ephesus [etc.].
1631. High Commission Cases (Camden), 193. This cause was prosecuted by some of the towne of Stamford, of which the towne clarke was one.
1835. Act 5 & 6 Will. IV., c. 76 § 58. That the Council of every Borough … shall appoint a fit Person … to be the Town Clerk of such Borough, who shall hold his Office during Pleasure.
b. = PARISH CLERK. dial. rare. Cf. TOWN sb. 3.
1597. Min. Archdeaconry of Essex, lf. 237 (MS.). He willfully deniethe the paiment of the vsuall clerk’s wages to father God our towne clerk.
1597–8. Min. Archdeaconry of Colchester, lf. 186 b (MS.). Great Chishill … Richard Watson … allegavit that he is towneclerk there.
1879. D. J. Hill, Bryant, 55. [Bryant] being himself at the time, the town-clerk, he was placed in the embarrassing position of having to proclaim his own nuptials.
Hence Town-clerkship, the office of town-clerk.
1439. Coventry Leet Bk., 192. They ordeyne that Symkyn Birches enjoy and haue off the office off Toun-clerkship terme of hys lyffe.
1521. Maldon, Essex, Liber B., lf. 57 b (MS.). The office of towneclerkshipp for this yere followynge.
1817. W. Taylor, in Monthly Rev., LXXXIII. 496. The town-clerk-ship having become vacant.
