Genealogy Chat

Does anyone no what the oversears where and if possible would there be any records

I found this on the Rmmh website.. Officials who performed the assessment and collection of the poor-rates. Overseer Prior to the passing of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, the administration and finance of poor relief and workhouses was, for the most part, organized at the parish level — a situation which had been laid out by the 1601 statute An Acte for the Reliefe of the Poore. Local administration of the 1601 Act was conducted by the Vestry which was the governing body of a parish. (The Vestry derived its name from the room where it usually met, which was originally where the priest put on his vestments.) The Vestry's membership comprised a chairman (the minister of the parish), the churchwardens, and a number of respected householders of the parish. The officials who performed the assessment and collection of the poor-rates were called overseers, of which there were normally between two and four in each parish. Overseers were appointed annually, subject to the approval of the local Justices. In addition, churchwardens were able to act as ex-officio overseers. Since the post of was an honorary one, overseers received no remuneration for their work. It was an honorary parochial post in the days when care of the poor was the responsibility of the church, the appointment requiring the approval of Justices of the Peace. He kept records of funds, disbursements and distribution of clothing etc. in rate books. In 1834 parochial responsibility for the poor ended and parishes combined to form Poor Law Unions and built workhouses to be governed by Poor Law Guardians. I don't know about any records though...sorry....possibly kept in the local records office I would have thought. Linda

Thankyou Linda i found that very interesting and of great help i will try to find out if there are any records. joyce