1st June 1477

Although the Register of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials commences in 1563, later on when records relate to deeds of inter alia the Guildhall/Workhouse in Pakenham, the entries start on 1st June 1477, with a Deed of Feoffment (conveyance) to effect an exchange of lands.

There are so many of these Feoffments spread over so many years that the only matters of interest are the spelling of the words, the names of the people and the measures of land, e.g. 16 vingates in length on the north side, 11 vingates in width. A complete example is:-

"Deed of Feoffment of one pightle called Teyntours yard formerly parcel of the Manor called Rychardes Hall with that house built upon it called Churchehous or Gyldehalle situated in Pakenham, formally had by gift of Richard, Abbot of the Abbey of St. Edmund of Bury, the Prior and Convent having willingly assented."

The numerous bundles containing summaries of Pakenham charity deeds fill many trustee boxes and reading and understanding what they are all about makes hard work. Wills are always of interest, though, as they reveal a person's most sober and considered order of priorities - as for instance this last will and testament of Robert Stokes, made mid 16th century:-

"In the name of Almighty God. Amen.
I, Robert Stokes of Pakenham, in the county of Suffolk, the 26th day of March the year of Our Lord God 1526, make my last will on this manner wise.
First and principally, I give and bequeath my soul unto Almighty God, to Our Lady Saint Mary and to all the Holy Company of Heaven, and my body to be buried in the Holy Sanctuary of Pakenham beforesaid.
Moreover I bequeath to the High Altar of the same Church for any tithes oblations and other duties witholden or paid too little and for the health of my soul Twenty pence.
I bequeath to Christ's Church at Norwich. Four Pence.
I bequeath at my obit-day to bring me honestly to ye earth and Meats Drinks and to Poor Folks. 26 shillings and 8 pence.
At my 7th day in like manner 26 shillings and 8 pence.
At my 30th day 26 shillings and 8 pence.
I give and bequeath to the Church at Pakenham and to Honour of the Holy Sacrament to buy a Pix of silver and gilt 5 marks.
I give and bequeath to the Church and Town of Pakenham a Close of four acres Inclosed lying at Stonhill to that intent to keep mine obit-day during for ever under this form, that is to say, fourpence to ye Clerk to say dirge.
Fourpence to ye ringers and fourpence to ye Poor Folk
and ye residue of to the profit of ye said land to be used for the profit of the said Church at Pakenham.
I will have an honest Priest to pray for my soul, and for all my friends' Souls in the Church at Pakenham by the space of an whole year and the said Priest to have his stipend eight marks.
I give and bequeath to the Friary of Badwell a Chalice the price of ... I give and bequeath to the old house of the Friary at Thetford a Chalice the price of ... .
Moreover I give and bequeath to Jone my wife ye tenement that I died in. And after ye Decease of my said wife I wish that Ralph Wilton have my said Tenement and the said Ralph Wilton to pay to his children 5 pounds, that is

to Margaret 20 shillings
to Thomas 20 shillings
to Jone 20 shillings
to Dorothy 20 shillings
to Alice 20 shillings

to be paid by the said Ralph or his assigns at lawful age.
And if any of the said children Decease I wish that they or either of them have others part equally divided to them that be alive and if they decease all then I will that the one half Jone Wilton have and the other half to the Church at Pakenham.
Moreover I will that mine said four acres inclosed and four acres and a half before rehearsed that Jone my wife and Ralph Wilton have in farm of the Towne by the term of ten years paying yearly and to keep the Fence of the said Close.
I give and bequeath to Jone my wife all utensils of household that is to say all Bedding, Brass, Pewter and all goods not given or bequeathed. I put it to ye Disposition of mine Executors to pay my Debts and Legats of this my present Will whom I ordain my trusty friends, Jone my wife and Ralph Wilton.

This witness John Cage
Vicar John Lester
John Cobdack
with other ye day and year above written
26th March 1525"

There was a gap in the registers between 17th May 1641 and 17th November 1647 and these were supposed to have been lost, but they were found on the 22nd May, 1829, in the possession of John Mathew, an aged man whose father and grandfather had been parish clerks.

In 1674, there is a bill for building the Almshouses in Pakenham, and so the records continue up to 1938.

There are copies of the licences to the curacies of Pakenham up to the curacy to 1902. The Parish glebe terriers commence in 1716, which have Pakenham in the diocese of Norwich until 1869, when it changed to the diocese of Ely (it is now in the diocese of St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich).

There are details of the alterations to the rectory house, mortgage of the glebe lands, tithes, rents, salaries, stipends and other emoluments for making the improvements to the parsonage house, and for the churchyard extensions. Beginning in 1800 are the yearly packets of churchwardens' bills and receipts, dealing with the church fabric, and included is a note of weighing the 3rd and 4th Bells. There is a bill for the expenses incurred in the casting of these bells in 1735.

In 1848 there is correspondence from the tile works at Stoke on Trent concerning re-tiling the floor of Pakenham church and during the years 1847 - 1850 there is considerable correspondence about the restoration of the Church, including removal of graves in the course of constructing the transepts. Reference is also made about the movable seats and the organ loft. In 1849, approval was given by the Bishop of Ely to the plans to enlarge the church. These plans, with the various drawings, are in twelve sheets secured at the head to a wooden roller.

The Articles of Agreement for the repairing and enlargement of the church, together with the general conditions of contract, were drawn up by S.S. Teuton, architect, of London, by the Revd. Charles Jones, vicar, and Seth Sparke and George Whaits Mathew, churchwardens, Samuel Baldiston, builder of Ipswich, in consideration of the sum of £1389.

In 1868 there is a receipted bill to Thomas Earp of Lambeth for executing and fixing the reredos and another from the Venice and Murano Glass and Mosaic Co. Ltd (Salviati & Co.), for some of the stained glass.

In 1863 there is the specification for an organ manual, a 20 note pedal board with 9 speaking stops, hand blown. This is the organ still in use, except that electric blowers have been added and there is a notebook containing a list of donations marked "1863 Pakenham Organ".

In addition to the many certificates of appointment by the Justices of the Peace, there are lists of persons entitled to vote, copies of the Poor Returns for the Parish, lists of single and married able-bodied men and labourers able to do some work and a general list of the inhabitants of Pakenham.

There are numerous examinations to decide on the removal of people from the Parish, settlement certificates on families, indentures of apprenticeships, allowances to militia men's dependents, returns on lunatics and dangerous idiots, examinations of single women likely to be delivered of a bastard child, for subsequent maintenance and affiliation orders.

Prior to the Poor Law (1836), bastards were provided for out of the rates and it followed that some women with more than one child were considered to be much better off than the honest poor, and aroused some bitterness in the Parish.

In 1832 there is a declaration by Robert Kemp to remove the nuisance caused by smells arising from a common privy in the village! Also an agreement between William Green of Ixworth, surgeon, and the churchwardens, to attend the poor of the Parish for £20 per annum, plus the cost of medicines, from 25th March 1817 to 24th March 1818. Later this fee was increased to £25 per annum.

There is a copy of the will of Robert Stokes, made on 26th March 1525, which may be of interest for its unusual length and very unusual contents. This, together with the above records and much more, may be inspected in the Records Office in Bury St. Edmunds.