| Description | The majority of the day-to-day administrative functions of the Bedford Level Corporation were carried out by the Registrar. He was responsible for attending all meetings of the Board; recording the orders, decrees and any other important business; giving notice of meetings; extracting fines dues, and enrolling the deeds when any part of the 95,000 acres of Adventurers’ lands was conveyed or leased. He was also responsible for all the records, muniments and papers belonging to the Corporation. In 1830, the Registrar was the highest paid Corporation Officer and received a salary of £200 per annum for discharging his duties, a gratuity of £70 per annum, and fees for searching the Register Books (BLC4/1), Lot Books (BLC4/2) and Account Books (BLC3/1), enrolling deeds, affixing the Corporation seal, attending the Houses of Parliament, writing letters and travelling on the business of the Corporation.
The Registrar was elected annually at the April meeting, but the majority of Registrars held the position for the rest of their lives. The position was held by Thomas Bland between 1656-1692; Joseph Hope between 1692-1723; William Plaxton between 1723-1745, Benjamin Woodward between 1745-1757, Charles Nalson Cole between 1757-1805, William Saffery between 1805-1812, Robert Bevill between 1812-1824, Samuel Wells between 1824-1849, Thomas Archer between 1849-1859, Goodwyn Archer between 1860-1893, Goodwyn Archer and Harold Archer [together] between 1893-1898, Harold Archer between 1898-1916, and Harold Archer and Goodwyn Luddington [together] between 1917-1920. |