11/06/2026
📖 Local Council Clerk Week: Throwback Thursday
Today for , we’re stepping back in time to 1969–70 and the Town Clerk, Peter.
We don’t know Peter’s surname and unfortunately we can’t quite decipher his handwriting. Quite often in council papers he is simply referred to as ‘the Town Clerk’. So if anyone recognises him or can help fill in this piece of history, we’d love to hear from you.
Thanks to his diary from the year, along with a small, neatly tucked away book of standing orders, we’re given a fascinating glimpse into how local council life operated over 50 years ago. While many of the committees feel reassuringly familiar, it’s fair to say there were perhaps a few fewer cocktail parties in the modern calendar… 🍸
The diary also reminds us of a different local government structure. At the time, Lewes was governed by the Lewes Borough Council, responsible for municipal services, public amenities, and significant housing development. This continued until 1974, when the borough was abolished and replaced by Lewes District Council, alongside the creation of a successor parish, Lewes Town Council, as we know it today.
Tucked into the back of Peter’s diary are reference pages listing the Aldermen and Councillors of the year. Aldermen were the senior local government officials. Alongside this, the pocket-sized standing orders book highlights something that remains central to the clerk’s role today. These rules set out how council business is conducted, ensuring meetings and decisions are transparent, consistent, and in line with the law.
It’s a wonderful reminder that while times change, the core principles of good governance and how the vital work of the Clerk remain constant.
Society of Local Council Clerks
