Wardmaster

Elections as wardmaster or commissioner on the council were open to all ethnicities but not to all classes, or to women.

Source: wiktionary

Well, I have been talking with Lawrence Worster, my Surgeon-in-Charge, who is a very good fellow. His sick-list is not bad now, and he does not mean to have it bad; but he says that he is not pleased with the ways of his ward-masters; and it was his suggestion, not mine, mark you, that I should see if one or two of the Sanitary women would not come as far as this to make things decent.

Source: wiktionary