RootsWeb: DEVON-L Re: [DEV] Overseers of the Poor

Gary, the "Overseers of the Poor" was a body of parishioners who literally

oversaw the workings of the Poor Act within a parish. Each parish was

responsible for its own poor, and to ensure that it was not giving relief to

anyone not entitled to it.

Settlement certificates, by an Act of 1662, were granted to people either

born in the parish or by renting a tenement at a rental of £10 per year or

more, or, more likely by the person asking for settlement absolving the

parish from any expense. By a later Act of 1691 you could gain settlement by

serving as a parish officer, paying a parish rate, being apprenticed by

indenture to a parishioner, or by serving a year in service.

IF you didn't have a settlement certificate you were likely to be sent back

to the parish in which you were entitled to relief- the so called "Removal

orders"- the parish would not pay out relief unless it absolutely had to.

Some of these Settlement and removal orders give a great deal of information

about the person/s concerned- where they had live, worked etc.

Regards

Terry Leaman

Torquay

Devon.

OPC for Torquay and DFHS representative on Devon-L

Visit my web site at www.leaman.freeserve.co.uk for information and photos

about Torquay

List owner for Eng-Devon mailing list

http://www.british-genealogy.com/mailman/listinfo/ENG-DEVON

Joint Co-ordinator for DFHS/FreeCen 1861 Devon census transcription project-

go to http://www.leaman.freeserve.co.uk/1861-web-site/main.htm for details

----- Original Message -----

From: "ELN/vealehaven" <>

To: <>

Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2003 1:45 AM

Subject: [DEV] Overseers of the Poor

> Dear List,

>

> I have run into some records, on the A2A, regarding "Settlement

> Examinations" for an Overseer of the Poor in the Ilsington Parish.

>

> Does anybody have any ideas what these could pertain to?  Or could it be

> rather VAGUE?  In other words, is anyone familiar with records concerning

> Overseers of the Poor?

>

> Gary Veale

> 

>

>

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>

>

>