Abreuvoirs funded by the
parish - now listed ancient monuments
Constables too had customary functions
which became statutory in the 19th Century but this was in addition to many
existing statutory rights and duties under Ordinances of
the Royal Court. At the beginning of that century the civil
service was virtually non-existent and the Constables had
not only their parochial duties but also roles which today
are undertaken by salaried civil servants and the police.
150
years ago a Constable’s primary function’s were;
i) investigating civil and criminal offences,
maintaining order and making arrests.
ii) enforcing all relevant
Ordinances and orders of the Court.
iii) issuing demands for and collecting States
property taxes and parish taxes.
iv) performing their duties as the island’s
Sanitary Authorities and Inspectors.
v) publishing the required notices and attending
Court in connection with parish administration.
vi) issuing various licences.
vii) keeping the parish accounts
and presenting them at Parish Assemblies.
viii)calling and chairing meetings of the
Douzaine.
ix) keeping the Douzaine’s records including
minuting meetings.
The Constables, whose term of office had been reduced from
life to three years in 1778 because it was so onerous, were
advised in their duties by the Douzaine which acted as a
‘council of elders’. In 1845 an Ordre en Conseil explained;
“The Constables ... as civil ministerial officers in their
respective parishes, ... are for various purposes provided
with a Council in their Douzaines.”
The high standing of the Constable's office arose from the
close links between the office and both the Royal Court and
the States. Those links had been weakened in 1844 when the
Constables were replaced as the Douzaines representative in
the States. They were further eroded by the establishment
of an island-wide salaried police force in the 1920s and
the rise of a centralised civil service.
Today whilst Constables still retain rights and duties
which are not exercised under the direction of the Douzaine
eg annually reporting to the Law Officers on the state of
the parish's hedges, they also function as 'executive
officers' to the Douzaine. This latter role has led to
misconceptions regarding the relationship of the Constables
to the Douzaines.