Portsoken Ward

Portsoken Ward is one of the more active wards in the City of London. It has its origin as an independent liberty (autonomous region) known as the Chnichtengild (Knight's Guild), whose origins are lost in the mists of time. It is known to have existed as early as the reign of King Edgar. The ward has its own charters.

1. The Court of Wardmote is an ancient ward institution. It is a hundred court. It currently meets annually. At these meetings residents discuss local affairs, and pass resolutions for the attention of the Grand Court of Wardmote.
2. Wardmote Inquest: dormant, as no longer summoned by the Lord Mayor's Precept. The Wardmote Inquest in Portsoken met for longer than others, as it served as Trustees for the Starling Charitable Bequest, inquestmen had colourful titles such as Foreman, Feweller, Collector, Blackbookman, and Bencher.
3. The Court of Precinct Mote; originally there were five Precinct Meetings active in this Ward; currently only Covent Garden Precinct is active, after a period of dormancy. The Court of Precinct Mote is a Court Leet.
4. Court of Precinct Mote Inquest; currently dormant. In Portsoken, inquestmen had colourful titles such as Foreman, Feweller, Collector, Blackbookman, and Bencher. Other wards had:--Cornhill:- Foreman, upper speakers, under speakers, controller, butler, gentlemen ushers, prickers, scribes within, scribes without. Wallbrook:-Surveyor of Highways, Surveyor of Arms, Halter-cutter, Entertainer,Treasurer of the House, Steward of the House, Treasurer of the Poor, Steward of the Poor
5. The Portsoken Ward Club was founded in the nineteenth century. It hosts formal dinners, outings, and the colourful annual Beating of the Bounds ceremony on Ascension Day.
6. The Portsoken Volunteers also have a long history in the ward, dating back to Napleonic times; this local regimental unit was revived after a period of dormancy.
7. Petticoat Square Leaseholders Association
8. Petticoat Square Gardening Club
9. Ward Members comprising Alderman Prem Goyal, Deputy, Mr Henry Jones (Deputy), John Fletcher Common Councilman, Jason Pritchard Common Councilman, Munsur Ali Common Councilman.
10. Covent Garden Precinct: Headborough Evan Millner

THE PORTSOKEN WARD PRECINCTS

The Precincts for Portsoken Ward are:

1. Covent Garden Precinct, (everything North of St Botolph's Street - Modern Middlesex Street Estate is located here)

2. The Barrs Precinct, (The small cluster of buildings south of Aldgate High street, up to Little Somerset Street, i.e. the edge of the Guinness Estate, comprises this precinct)

3. High Street Precinct, (The Central traffic island containing the church, tube station, etc is located here)

4. Hounsditch Precinct, (John Cass School is all that remains of this precinct)

5. Tower Hill Precinct. (Mansell Street Estate etc is located here)