The Workhouse Unions were run by an elected Board of Guardians, with representatives from each parish, and often the positions were not contested. The St Albans Board met at fortnightly intervals and reports of the meetings frequently appear the the Herts Advertiser. The following gives details of the nominations in 1886, together with the people nominating the candidates in some cases, plus information on the result.

St Albans:

        Mr Henry Leo Waddington, Spencer House, gentleman

                 Mr. T W Kent, Holywell-hill Brewery

        Mr Edward Sutton Wiles, London Road, gentleman

        Mr Joseph Wells, Prospect-road, silversmith

                 Mr M Holland 2 Verulam-road.

(Old members re-elected without opposition)

St Peter’s:

        Mr George Farr Arnold, St Peters-street, brick manufacturer

        Mr Jacob Reynolds, Heath Farm, farmer

        Mr Henry Smith XE, Hill End Farm, farmer

                 Mr Jacob Reynolds

(Old members re-elected without opposition)

St Michael’s:

        Mr John Purrott, Maynes Farm, farmer

        Mr Hayward Edwards, Pré Wood Farm

                 Mr George Barker, Kittlewells

(Old members re-elected without opposition)

St Stephen’s:

        Mr George Charles Hawes, St Stephen’s House, gentleman

                 Mr Thomas D Cartwright

        Mr George Hart Cartwright, St Julians, farmer

                 Mr I N Edwards

(No election – Cartwright replaces Mr Lovett, retired)

Sandridge:

        Mr Henry Alexander Taylor, Hill End Farm, farmer

                 himself

        Mr Richard Dickinson, Cheapside Farm, farmer

                 Mr William Paul

(no contest, Taylor retired)

Redbourn:

        Mr Edward Arnold, Redbournbury, farmer

                 Mr G Barker Kittlewells

                 Mr T W Liddington

        Rev. Phillip Deedes, High-street, clerk in holy orders

                 Mr T W Liddington

        Mr George, farmer

                 Mr Barker

(Arnold re-elected, Deedes replaces late Mr W T White,

George withdrew so no election)

Harpenden:

        Mr Thomas Dawson, Cravell’s-road, builder

                 Mr R B Longland, Railway Hotel

        Mr George Piggott, Cooter’s-end Farm, farmer

        Mr William Smith, Hatchen-green, farmer and brickmaker

                 Mr George Davis, Harpenden

        Mr James P Field, Harpenden village, gentleman

                 Mr. W. Steabben

(Election with old members, Field & Dawson, and Piggott

Smith withdrew having been nominated without consent)

Wheathamsted:

        Mr Dolphin Smith, Mackereye-end, farmer

                 Mr J Ransome, Bury Farm

        Mr George Titmuss, Wheathamstead, miller

                 Mr Thomas Dawson, Harpenden

(no contest, Titmuss former member, Smith replaces

Mr G Bates, Piggott’-hill, retired)

Selected Links to Further Information

William Atherton Smith - Brother in Law to Jacob Reynolds

Edward Sutton Wiles - Councillor, Alderman and Mayor - of  Wiles & Lewis's Ariston Works (on Bernards Heath, close to Jacob Reynolds' farm