Genealogy Chat

Hi, i recently got the 1851 census for a family of mine; and i noticed that the head, who is a widow and 65, was blind and she was receiving parish relief. I was just wondering would there be any records of what she was receiving and would she only be receiving money or would she be getting help from people working at the parish? Thanks Steph

Steph You best bet is the county record office. The one local to the place where she claimed parish relief.

some record offices hold information about parish relief. contact the record office that covers the area the person was living in they will be able to tell you if they hold parish relief information and for what years, if they do it is just a matter of searching.

Thanks Margaret and Jacqueline do you know what information the records would hold; if i found any that is. Also on the census the parish isnt mentioned?? Steph Thanks

The parish would almost certainly be that in which she was living, which should be stated at the top of the census page, and will certainly be stated in the index. Incidentally, you want the civil parish, and not the ecclesiastical one.

I don't know in general..what people got on 'the parish' (as it was called) but my mother's father was killed when she was 13. I remember her telling me that she once brought home from school, a beautiful pair of boots (the school gave clothes out to needy children) and my gran was horrified and sent her back with them. She said she was so disappointed, as the boots were lovely. Jean

Hi Andrew what is the difference between the civil parish, and the ecclesiastical one. Do you mean i would be looking for the parish that is stated on the census and not the one where she would have went to mass? Hi Jean haha thats a good story. Thanks for the info. Steph