Transcript

of

George Roberts Shorto

Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol.  XXXVIII, (1906), pp. 34-37.

by

J. Brooking-Rowe (Ed.).

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1906 Lynton meeting. The Shorto family came to Exeter in 1809 and remained until the 1930s, with the last of the Shorto family retiring to Devon where he died in 1997. Notably the family contribution to education was extensive in the areas where they lived and worked. Perhaps the high point of the family history was the late Victorian era when the remarkable George Roberts Shorto served as the Town Clerk of the City. A history of the Shorto Family of Exeter by Anthony David Davie is available through Google Books. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

George Roberts Shorto. The greatly esteemed Town Clerk of Exeter was a valuable member of the Association, and he was always ready to help anyone who sought his valuable aid, or who wished to consult any of the many valuable documents under his charge. His career was a varied one, and we are indebted to the "Western Morning News " for this account of his life. He was born in Exeter 24 August, 1837. To those whose knowledge of him was limited to his municipal life, it does indeed seem strange that he should have served a long period in the army. But his career in the military service was no less remarkable than his civil service. He started life in the army, and in September of 1854 enlisted in the 1st Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, and in February of the following year was given corporals stripes. In May of the same year he went to the Crimea, where he took part in the siege and capture of Sebastopol. He often in later years recounted his experiences in the trenches in the Crimea. Promotion was rapid in those stirring times, and in March, 1856, Corporal Shorto became sergeant, being then eighteen years and seven months of age. Returning from the Crimea in July, 1856, he was transferred as sergeant to the 4th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, in which he served six years as colour-sergeant. It is said that at one time he served under General Garibaldi's colours. On the expiration of his term of service in the army he took his discharge, but still the military spirit was strong in him, for almost his first act on coming to the city was to join the volunteers, being sworn in by Major Denis Moore. He for many years captained the B Company of the 1st R.V., was an excellent shot, and was frequently elected as one of the team to represent the county. He retired some years ago with the honorary rank of major, having for thirty-nine years worn her late Majesty's uniform. He possessed the volunteer long service medal and the Crimea and Turkish medals.
At the time of Mr. Shorto's return to civil life, the town clerk was Mr. John Gidley, grandfather of the present citizen of that name. He soon afterwards died, and Mr. Denis Moore, being a candidate for the office, asked Mr. Shorto if he would take service under him if he was appointed. The post was given to him, and Mr. Shorto entered Mr. Moore's office in September, 1865, and re- mained with him until his death in 1878. From 1868 Mr. Shorto acted as his locum tenens whenever he was absent from the city, and upon Mr. Moore's demise he was appointed town clerk pro tem,, and was so acting when the Mayor's chain was presented to the city by the Archaeological Institute. Upon the appointment of Mr. Bartholomew Gidley as town clerk, Mr. Shorto entered his office as managing clerk, having special charge of the Council work. Mr. Shorto served his articles with Mr. Gidley, and was admitted a solicitor in March, 1880. With this remarkable record and experience behind him, Mr. Shorto was appointed town clerk upon the death of Mr. Gidley in 1888. When Mr. Shorto made his first acquaintance with town clerk's duties the Council met once a month, and had little more to do than look after the police and manage the borough property. Since then it has become the Urban Sanitary Authority, with control of the sewers and streets; it has become possessed of the waterworks, of an asylum, the Albert Memorial Museum and College, with all the incidentals, electric-light works, etc. The city has also been enlarged, Exe Bridge rebuilt, and the system of electrified tramways installed. The growth of business that has marked Mr. Shorto's association with the city clerkship may be gathered from the fact that whereas in 1865 the annual disbursements were only about £12,000, to-day they are £150,000 or more.
On commencing his municipal career he made rapid progress towards attaining the dignified position in which he served so long and so faithfully as the town clerk of Exeter. Only those continually in association with him know how he gloried in his work; no one had a more intimate knowledge of the city's history than Mr. Shorto, and no one had a more thorough grasp of municipal law. He dearly loved talking of the ancient glories of the past, in showing by the valuable documents which the Corporation possess that Exeter is one of the most ancient cities of the kingdom. Pressed on more than one occasion to write an up-to-date history of Exeter, his reply would be that it would take two lives, one to study the history, the other to write it. One of his last acts was to relate the city's history, and show its historic regalia to Princess Frederica of Hanover. A brilliant feature of Mr. Shorto's civic life was the ability which he displayed in the Council Chamber. Always genial in manner, he had wonderful tact in dealing with a member inclined to be obstreperous. He enjoyed a joke thoroughly and invariably made one at the expense of a councillor, whilst he had a happy way of silencing a member who disregarded the rules of debate.
Mr. Shorto also found other spheres of activity. For many years he took great interest in the Western Provident Association, and was formerly identified with the Western Annuitant Society. As an ardent follower of football, he was for a long time a member of the Exeter Football Club. It was in regard to the city muniments and insignia that Mr. Shorto was particularly authoritative. When he first joined the town clerk's office, and for seven years afterwards, Mr. Stuart A. Moore, of London, an expert in such matters, was engaged in arranging and calendaring the city records, and he gave legal assistance from his antiquarian research in many important lawsuits in which the Council were then engaged. All the records are still preserved in the order in which they were left by Mr. Moore. Mr. Shorto was of necessity much associated with him in this work, and thus obtained a unique knowledge of the city's unrivalled muniments. When Sir Henry Irving was in the city, Mr. Shorto had the personal delight of showing the distinguished actor, amongst the charters and seals, a deed bearing the signature of Thomas à Becket, a character which Sir Henry was to play at the theatre the same evening.
For some time he had been in indifferent health. Early in August, on a very hot day, he had a heat stroke, and was in a very critical condition. He however rallied, but there was a relapse, and he died on 23 August, 1905, at Exmouth. He was buried at Honiton Clyst, the first part of the service having been performed at the Cathedral.