Prior to
the Reformation the Church assumed responsibility
for the care of the poor and one third of the
vicar’s tithes was intended for this purpose. In the
case of High Littleton the rectory was in the hands
of Keynsham Abbey and the vicar’s living was very
meagre. After the dissolution of the monasteries the
problem of relieving the poor became so acute that
the clergy were directed to collect alms for poor
people. All this changed with the Great Poor Law of
1601, which placed an obligation on annually
appointed Overseers of the Poor to maintain and
provide work for the poor of the parish. Such funds
as were needed for this purpose were raised by
levying a Poor Rate on the owners of land. The
Vestry, an unelected body of parishioners from
amongst the larger ratepayers appointed and directed
the Overseers and generally implemented the poor
law.
At least
two Overseers were appointed by the Vestry at Easter
each year. Those eligible for appointment were the
occupiers of the larger estates, farms and houses in
the parish. Thus, those providing the money were in
a good position to see it wasn’t wasted. The office
was unpaid and, to spread the burden, appointments
tended to be made on a rota basis from a list of
some 8 to 10 persons. Women were not exempt from
serving and a widow, who continued to run the farm
after her husband's death, was liable to take her
turn as Overseer. Appointments were subject to the
approval of the Justices of the Peace.
Churchwardens were ex officio Overseers.
The Poor
Relief Act of 1662, which established the law of
Settlement and Removal, placed an additional burden
on Overseers, who thereafter had to be vigilant and
act quickly when strangers attempted to settle in
the parish. The Overseers were not only involved in
the process of causing paupers to be examined and
obtaining orders of removal but also in the physical
removal of pauper families and their possessions.
Although Overseers were allowed a certain amount of
discretion, they took their instructions on most
matters from the Vestry.
An Act of
1691 obliged Overseers to keep Accounts. At the end
of each year these were scrutinised and signed by
the Vestry and then perused and allowed by the
Justices. To provide a measure of continuity as well
as removing some of the burden from the Overseers,
it was common to employ someone to keep the
Accounts. In later years the Vestry appointed an
Assistant Overseer, who did the majority of the work
such as collecting the rates, paying the long term
poor and maintaining the Accounts. Most of the
duties of Overseers were removed with the formation
of Poor Law Unions in 1834, when Relieving Officers
and Guardians assumed responsibility for relieving
the poor. Parishes continued to appoint Overseers
annually but their duties were very limited and the
office was finally abolished by the Rating and
Valuation Act of 1925.
Vestry
Minutes and Overseers' Accounts tell one much about
life in the parish. Large numbers of people are
mentioned. The poor, who made up the majority, are
mentioned receiving regular and occasional relief in
the form of money, clothes or having their rent
paid. Women may be delivered of children at parish
expense, people inoculated, the sick receive
hospital treatment, coroners called to handle
unexpected deaths and the poor buried. Unmarried
mothers and the men responsible are pursued to
provide maintenance for their bastard children,
unwelcome strangers are removed and dependent
children apprenticed or put out to service.
Parishioners drawn to serve in the militia or army
are paid a bounty and families relieved in the men's
absence. When long term paupers died leaving
property, it might be sold or made over to the
parish, to repay relief received during the pauper's
life time. At the other end of the social scale the
Overseers' Accounts named ratepayers, members of the
Vestry, parish officers and landlords who rented
their houses to the parish to accommodate pauper
families. Few parishioners avoided some sort of a
mention in the Accounts at some time.
The
earliest surviving Overseers' Accounts for High
Littleton cover the years 1754/5 to 1786/7 and
Vestry Minutes date from 1755.
Transcriptions
Click to view/download the documents (in pdf format)
HL Overseers Accounts 1754-1787 & Index
Removals to HL1676-1863 & Settlement Certificates
from HL1764 & Index
Removals from HL1702-1861 & Settlement Certificates
to HL 1698-1780 & Index
HL Misc Exams 1711-1856 & Index
HL Bastards 1600-1850 & Index
HL Parish Apprentices 1702-1832 & Index
Clutton Union Workhouse Deaths 1838-1927 & Index
HL Vestry Minutes1755-1910 & Index
At
the front of each file is an introduction to the
subject, which will help readers to better
understand the relevancy and contents.
