Overseers of the Poor

Historically, the Overseers of the Poor were elected officials who administered poor relief such as money, food, and clothing. The office was created by the Act for the Relief of the Poor 1597, which required two Overseers in each parish to be elected every Easter.

Society has always had a problem of what to do with the poor, those who through age, infirmity or accident could no longer work to support themselves or their families. Originally each village, later parish, was supposed to look after their own, and a local tax, the Poor Rate, was established to fund those in need. Now whilst the parishioners might not mind (too much) funding their own who had fallen on hard times (after all, it could be them next), they were less happy about funding "incomers" who they saw as a burden.

In theory, an incomer could be sent back to their parish of birth for that parish to take care of, and no doubt in some cases, the Churchwardens and Overseers checked the parish records, agreed that the pauper was indeed born in their parish and "welcomed" them back. More likely, they would argue the pauper had previously been in employment in the second parish and thus it fell to that parish to take care of him/her.

This formalised into the Overseers conducting an "Examination" of the circumstances of the pauper, then bringing the case to court. The court would either agree the pauper should sent back (a Removal Order) or that they should remain (a Settlement Order).

In 1795 the Overseers of Rushden obtained a Removal Order to send Peter and Rachel Robins back to Chelveston.

A further problem was unmarried pregnant women, who again fell to the parish to support in the absence of a husband. If the Overseers could get the woman to testify on oath the name of the father, then they could apply to the court for a Bastardy Order, requiring the father to cover the costs (effectively a forerunner to the current attachment to earnings order).

This was open to abuse by both sides - a woman might reason that naming the son of a wealthy man could provide more income than from a labourer, whilst the wealthier families could afford lawyers and "witnesses" to swear their son was not in the county (or country) at the time of conception, or simply pay off the mother out of court.

In 1836, Emily Ekins of Chelveston named William Smith (labourer) of Stowe as the father of her son, and the Quarter Sessions court made a Bastardy Order against him.

By the time Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837, the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 allowed parishes to start working together in "Unions" to share out the costs and provide bigger Workhouses. The creation of the Poor Law Commission by the same act in 1834, in turn succeeded by the Poor Law Board in 1847, sought to standardise and improve the Union Workhouses, providing funds for new purpose built buildings, which had to be repaid, of course.

In an early PR exercise, the Overseers of the Poor were given a new name, the Guardians of the Poor. However, in Chelveston, as in many other parishes, the old name was retained, with the Guardian serving on the Board of the Workhouse and the Overseers dealing with the parish issues.

The Guardians / Overseers now had four duties:

• Estimate how much poor relief money was needed in order to set the Poor Rate;
• Collect the Poor Rate;
• Distribute Poor / Parish Relief; and
• Supervise the Poorhouse / Workhouse.

With the creation of Parish Councils in 1894, the role of Overseer was often held by Parish Councillors, until the separate Poor Rate was amalgamated with the local district or borough general rate by the Rating and Valuation Act 1925.

This parish was part of the Union of the Thrapston Workshouse, created on 30th November 1835, which consisted of

Northamptonshire: Gt Addington, Lt Addington, Aldwinckle All Saint's, Aldwinckle St Peter's, Brigstock, Chelveston cum Caldecott, Clapton, Denford, Hargrave, Islip, Lowick, Raunds, Ringstead, Slipton, Stanwick, Sudborough, Thrapston, Titchmarsh, Twywell & Woodford.

Huntingdonshire: Brington, Bythorn, Covington, Keyston, Molesworth & Old Weston.

The Poor Law Commissioners authorised an expenditure of £4,400 (about £0.5m in today's money). The Thrapston Workhouse opened in 1836. and the architect was William J Donthorn. The cruciform plan building is constructed of stone with slate roofs. A red brick infirmary was added to the east in the late 19th century. Currently it is the stone building now occupied by North Northants Council (NNC) as part of its offices.

It was meant to house up to 200 inmates, though the Second Annual Report of the Poor Law Board shows that it admitted 365 vagrants in 1848 and 489 in 1849. Whilst these would not all be resident at the same time, conditions were likely to have been crowded.

The Fourth Annual Report of the Poor Law Board shows that in 1851 property in the parish was sold for £15 (about £1.6k in today's money), which used toward repaying the cost of building the Workhouse. Given that the parish was mainly agricultural, that begs the question as to what was sold? Most likely it was land and I'm currently speculating it was the sale of the land to build Church House and its adjacent field in Caldecott Road. We know it existed in 1902 when the Simpson family moved to the Village, but it is not shown on the Inclosure map of 1807, so the time frame fits.

It closed as a Workhouse in 1914, when the building was required for war work.

The stone building was Grade II listed on 31st July 1987. The listing notes "the Masters office, to front of central cross wing, has C19 fireplace and panelled window reveals". This later became the office of the Chief Executive of the former East Northamptonshire District Council (ENDC)

At the time of a Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England survey in 1992, the stone building was derelict and the infirmary was in use as the ENDC stores, cleansing department and document store.

In 1993, planning consent was granted for the new building that joins the stone former Workhouse building to the red brick former infirmary building, to create the former ENDC, now NNC offices.

The surviving Workhouse records in the Northants Records Office provide some details.

Births in the Workhouse (NRO records PL10/214 & 215) -

19 Feb 1844 - Rebecca Knight gave birth to an illegitimate son. In 1841 Rebecca is recorded as aged 20 and is working a a female servant for Thomas Chettle (farmer of 170 acres employing 6 labourers in 1851). The farmer's eldest son, also Thomas, was aged 15. The 1851 records show Benjamin living with his grandparents (Jeremiah and Rebecca) in Caldecott. Did young Thomas Chettle get a special present for his 18th birthday?

21 May 1844 - Ann Rawlins gave birth to an illegitimate daughter.

11 Nov 1856 - Mary Ann Bridgefoot gave birth to an illegitimate daughter. This one is a little odd, as Mary Ann is recorded as married to and living with Eli (agricultural labourer (Ag Lab)), both before and after the birth of Emma. Possibly she had an extra-martial affair, was thrown out and ended up in the Workhouse, and then reconciled with Eli afterwards?

10 Apr 1875 - Sarah Hamps gave birth to an illegitimate son.

10 May 1890 - Ursula Bull gave birth to an illegitimate child. In 1881 Ursula is recorded as aged 8, the daughter of Elizabeth, a widowed Shoe Closer. They were living with their grandmother, Mary Bailey, in Wateryard. The 1871 records show Elizabeth married to Benjamin (Iron Mine worker), and lodging in Caldecott. Presumably Benjamin died in a mining accident, forcing Elizabeth to return home to her mother with her young children.

19 Jul 1893 - Annie Blundell gave birth to an illegitimate son.

10 May 1898 - Alice Hodgkins gave birth to an illegitimate daughter. In 1891 Alice was recorded as aged 15, working as an Army Shoe Closer, living in High Street with her widowed father, Samuel (Ag Lab) and younger siblings, Bertha, William & Fredrick.

Deaths in the Workhouse (NRO records PL10/217 & 218) -

13 Dec 1844 - Mary Burton died, aged 93.

6 May 1850 - Hannah Burton died, aged 14. In 1841 Hannah is recorded as aged 4, living with her parents William (Ag Lab) and Sarah Burton in Wateryard.

7 Nov 1872 - Thomas Sears died, aged 68. Thomas was Ag Lab in 1841, living in High Street with his mother Sarah (a mop spinner) and his two younger brothers John and Simon (both Ag Labs). By 1851 his mother is listed as a widowed pauper and John is no longer living with them. In 1861 it was just Thomas and Simon, still living in the High Street.

5 Mar 1874 - Samuel Baxter died, aged 81. Samuel is recorded as an Ag lab in 1841, married to Ann and living in Wateryard. By 1851 they were living in Caldecott and Ann was supplementing their income with lace-making. By 1861 Samuel is listed as a Sheppard, but by 1871 Samuel was living on his own as a widower, helping on the farm as best he could in his 70's. Presumably the tied cottage was needed for another family and with no income or family to turn to, Samuel ended up in the Workhouse.

7 Feb 1875 - Thomas Brayfield died, aged 74.
17 Oct 1897 - Harriet Hazeldine died, aged 77, and is buried in Chelveston.
17 Dec 1897 - John Hodson died, aged 75, and is buried in Raunds.

Not everyone who was poor or who had fallen on hard times needed to be sent to the Workhouse. Some already had lodgings, such as the Sawyer's charity almshouses, and just need to buy food, etc. For these parishioners, the Overseers could make local payments from the Poor Rate know as the Parish Relief.

Other costs, such as burials of paupers, would also have to be paid for by the Poor Rate, and the church burials register shows Edward Richardson was buried by the Overseers on 12th December 1719.

Looking at the Census data -

1841 - Elizabeth Short is recorded as a pauper.
1851 - William Burton, James Driver, Hannah Newell, Sarah & William (son) Parker, and William Partridge are recorded as a paupers.

1901 - Elizabeth Burton, Mary Coles & Elizabeth Jackson are recorded as receiving Parish Relief, whilst living in the almshouses.

The overseers were often landowners. Looking at the list of know overseers in the parish, this is certainly true with farmers being the most numerous occupation.

Guardians
1882 William Gross (farmer).
1883 William Gross.
1890 E Jabez Browning (farmer).

Vestry Meeting appointments of Overseers -
1882 John Thomas Colson (butcher) & William Douglas Knight (baker).
1883 Thomas Britten (farmer) & William Douglas Knight.
1890 Samuel Denton (farmer) & Thomas Eady (farmer), with Assistant Overseer E Jabez Browning.

Annual Parish Meeting appointments of Overseers -
1894 E Jabez Browning & Fredric Morris (boot and shoemaker).
1895 Fredric Morris.
1896 John Sharpe (farmer) & George Wyldes (farmer).
1897 Thomas Eady & Fredric Morris.
1898 Fredric Morris.
1899 Harry Smith (farmer).
1900
1901 Rev James Dunn (vicar) & Fredric Morris.
1902 Fredric Morris.
1903 Fredrick Brittin (farmer) & Fredric Morris.
1904 Fredrick Brittin & George Wyldes.
1905 Joseph Knight (farmer) & George Wyldes.
1906 Joseph Knight.
1907 Charles Brittin (farmer) & Joseph Knight.
1908 Charles Brittin & Joseph Knight.
1909 Charles Brittin & Joseph Knight.
1910 Charles Brittin & Joseph Knight.
1911 Charles Brittin & Joseph Knight.
1912 Fredric Morris & Alfred W Willmott (farmer).
1913 Fredric Morris & Alfred W Willmott.
1914 Fredric Morris & Alfred W Willmott.
1915 Fredric Morris & Alfred W Willmott.
1916 Fredric Morris & Alfred W Willmott.
1917 Fredric Morris & Alfred W Willmott.
1918 Fredric Morris & Alfred W Willmott.
1919 Joseph Chambers & John T James.
1920 Joseph Chambers & John T James.
1921 Joseph Chambers & John T James.
1922 Charles Brittin & Fredric Morris.
1923 Charles Brittin & Fredric Morris.
1924 Charles Brittin & Fredric Morris.
1925 Ernest W Lack & Ernest Mayes.