Poor Law and the Parish
Following an Act of 1598 for the relief of the poor parishes were obliged to appoint Overseers of the poor. The duties of the overseers were to find work for the unemployed and to set up housing for those unable to provide for themselves. This act was replaced in 1601 with an act requiring the parish to also give relief to its aged and helpless. They were required to bring unprotected children in “habits of industry” and to provide work for anyone who could no longer follow his own trade.
At the Easter Vestry meeting every parish elected two Church Wardens, Overseers of
the Poor and other Parish Offices. They also decided on the rate to levy on property
holders and the amount to use for the poor of the parish at regular monthly vestry
meetings. Warwick Record Office holds a book of vestry minutes for 1814-
An example from the book is given here:
On December 8th 1814 it was agreed that the rate to be paid to the poor was as follows
1. A Man and is Wife 3d per week
2. A Man and is Wife and two children 4d per week
3. A Man and is Wife and 4 children 6d per week
4. and also to pay Hannah Goode wid is late come to the parish the sum of 3d per week
Signed by William Ellard Overseer
This was William ELLARD [5131] (1764-
Note the use of is for his.
In order to collect the appropriate rate the land and buildings within the parish were recorded. The evaluation records for the parish of Willoughby in Warwickshire for 1824 are also housed at Warwick Record Office.
Extract -
Proprietor |
Occupier |
Property |
Quantity |
Ann. Value |
Exors of late |
ELLARD Willm Senr |
House & Land |
1 A 1R 21 P |
£ 4 10 - |
Thos ELLARD |
ELLARD Hannah |
House |
2R. 2P |
£ 2 5 - |
|
CLARIDGE Thos |
House |
|
15 s |
|
WATSON John |
House |
|
10s |
|
|
|
|
|
ELLARD Wm Junr |
Himself |
House & Land |
87A 3R - |
£115 - |
|
HULL Saml |
House & Land |
3A - |
£ 7 10 - |
|
TOWNSEND Mary |
House |
|
£ 1 10 - |
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