About Poor Law Records 1742-1868

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Poor Law records are among the most valuable of all sources for genealogists, yet underused. They can contain a mass of biographical detail unavailable anywhere else.

Of particular value are settlement examinations. To avoid parishes being liable to provide poor relief to people settling without good links to the parish, the Settlement Act of 1662 placed certain restrictions on who could claim relief. Incomers to a parish were officially examined and if they were not legally settled in that parish they and their dependents could be forcibly removed. If you are lucky enough to find a forebear who applied for poor law relief, the example abstracts below (for St Botolph Aldgate) show the kind of information you may find:
Elizabeth Joseph (33) of 18 Petticoat Lane married her late husband Lewis Joseph 4 Jun 1850 at Great Synagogue and has 5 children Rachel Joseph (12), Emanuel Joseph (11), Sarah Joseph (9), Ann Joseph (7) and Joseph Joseph (2 ½); about 1852 husband took 35 Petticoat Lane at £8 15s per quarter and stayed 2-3 years and at same time 50 Petticoat Lane at £1 p.w. and husband occupied shop and bakehouse at 35 and let rest out; husband died Christmas 1860. 15 Jun 1863.

Susanna Brady (X) sp. (19) told by Samuel Batman, vestry clerk of St George Hanover Square that he had a settlement examination of her father John Brady that said he and his wife born in Ireland and Susanna born at Little Tower Hill; she and her brother and sister when children were found in a house in St George Hanover Square and put out to nurse by that parish, and her brother and sister apprenticed by them and she had been in workhouse there. 9 Jan 1779.

Mordecai Osborne 21 years ago hired servant to Thomas Harvey at the Abbey House, Evesham, Worcestershire for 3 years at £5 p.a. and has a wife Sarah Osborne and 3 children Mary Osborne (12), Ruth Osborne (8) and Maria Osborne (2) 4 Sep 1746.

Ann Gardener, sp. (X) in Mar 1742 George Denniston of Camomile Street, St Mary Axe, tailor prevailed with her to lie with him at house of (Mr) John Gardiner in Burr Street, St Botolph Aldgate and had carnal knowledge several times and she had male bastard child in Swan Alley 30 Dec 1742 now called George Gardener 31 Jul 1744.
The Origins Network are initially making available a series of poor law records for the City of London. The first two sets of this series, transcribed by Cliff Webb cover the parishes of St Botolph Aldgate and St Sepulchre; the index to these records contains over 20,000 names.

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