The Game Acts of 1784 and 1785 made it compulsory for individuals wanting to kill game to take out a certificate from the Clerk of the Peace, which cost 2 guineas per annum. After 1st October 1784 the fine for "qualified persons" killing game without a certificate was £50^[1]. Refusal to show the certificate or disclose the name and abode incurred the same fine^[1]. The 1785 Act came into force at the end of July 1785 and, after then, if someone was caught killing game without a certificate they had to pay a penalty of £20. Gamekeepers could also register for a certificate, through the deputation of the Lord or Lady of the Manor. A gamekeeper's certificate was 10s 6d, but they were also liable to a £20 fine if they were caught killing game outside the Manor where they were employed^[2]. If a new gamekeeper was appointed, the original certificate was void^[1]. People returning from "over the seas" after 1 July 1784 could purchase certificates, but had to pay double the amount. The Clerks of the Peace were required to forward the list of names and abodes to the Stamp Office once a year^[1].

People who did not obey the law were prosecuted, including for keeping "Engines" to kill game; the "engines" were snares and tunnels^[3]. Landowners also posted notices in the papers if they found snares. The press of the time had a bit of a field day. For example, they queried whether a cat that first took home two hares and later on a partridge be fined, or could the owner be fined for keeping a cat to kill game?^[4]

In 1796 the shooting season was shortened from 1st September to the 1st March because sportsmen were trampling the corn. The new season was to be 14th September to 14th February the following year^[5].

Names were to be published in county newspapers and for many years "The Derby Mercury" printed lists of Derbyshire people who had applied for a certificate, either for themselves or for their gamekeeper.
The lists continued into the Nineteenth Century»

• All the Matlock & District extracts below (1785 - 1799) have been taken from "The Derby Mercury".
  
  
• There is more information elsewhere on this web site to explain who some of these men were. Follow the hyperlink (e.g. ^[6]) against the first time a name is mentioned. This takes you down to the bottom of the page and you can then navigate to other parts of the site.

1785 - 1789 | 1790 - 1794 | 1795 - 1799

DM = Derby Mercury

References (coloured hyperlinks are to transcripts elsewhere on this web site):

^[1] "The Derby Mercury", 26 Aug, 1784. Heads of the Game Act, which takes place from October 1874
^[2] "The Times", 21 Jul, 1785. Game Act.
^[3] "The Derby Mercury", 29 Jan, 1789.
^[4] "The Derby Mercury", 12 Jan, 1786.
^[5] "The Derby Mercury", 10 Mar, 1786.
^[6] Rev Holcombe was the Rector of Matlock. See Rectors
^[7] Peter Nightingale was a landowner. See Biographies and Pedigree of Nightingale
^[8] See Pedigree of Wolley
^[9] See Pedigree of Arkwright | Arkwright's Cotton Mill (these will lead you to much more information)
^[10] See Pedigree of Leacroft