† aldressn.
English regional (northern). Obsolete.
The wife of an alderman or mayor.
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society > authority > office > holder of office > magistrate > municipal magistrate > [noun] > alderman > wife of
aldress1541
alderwoman1557
aldermaness1836
1541 Register Lincoln Corp. 9 Aug. in MSS Lincoln, Bury St. Edmunds et al. (H.M.C. 14th Rep. App. Pt. VIII) (1895) 37 [The mayoress and her sisters] aldresses [of your city of Lincoln].
1608 York Reg. MS 7 [John Bramhall, alderman of Pontefract, desires to be buried] at the end of the maiors and aldresses stall.
1629 Extracts Parish Reg.: Burials in J. E. Jackson Hist. & Descr. St. George's Church Doncaster p. xliv Jan. 22 Mrs. Jane Barwicke, Alderesse.
1692 R. Thoresby Diary I. 220 After with relations..to the funeral of Aldress Hick.
1713 R. Thoresby Diary II. 180 Madam Nevile was this day buried—also was another aldress interred.
1852 H. Schroeder Ann. Yorks. 11 In 1670, the corporation, with the consent of the vicar, ordered the pew in the parish church, commonly called the ‘aldresses pew’, to be enlarged.
1899 Truth 22 June 1612 City feasts are such barbarous gorges. The ‘alderess’ will be inclined, I should fancy, to have fewer heavy dishes.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2012; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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