Devon Game Lists - Sherborne Mercury

The Sherborne Mercury published Game Lists from 1796 until 1799. These were official advertisements listing Gamekeepers and holders of Game Certificates, presumably obtained from the "registers of gamekeepers and of game certificates taken out as required by the Acts of 24 Geo III, c. 43 (1784), 25 Geo. III, c. 50 and 3 Vic., c. 17, by which 'every person qualified in respect of property to kill game' and every person 'who shall keep any dog, gun, net or other engine for the taking or destruction of game' was to register and take out a certificate annually. The lists also include persons qualified to sell game. The registers give name and status of gamekeeper, manor to which his deputation related, name of lord or lady of manor, date of deputation and date of certificate; the 'Certificate' book gives name and abode of person registering and date of certificate.' (Description from Kent Archives Service's catalogue, quoted here by permission.)

Digital images of the pages of the Sherborne Mercury are available online via 'The British Newspaper Archive', provided by BrightSolid in partnership with the British Library.

Although these transcripts have been produced carefully, they have not been subject to independent checking. Each page identifies the relevant issue of the Sherborne Mercury and the policy has been to transcribe the text as is.

Brian Randell, 5 Oct 2015