Hi there Jan in Oz
•Until the Poor Law Reform Act of 1834 the relief of the poor was the responsibility of the Parish, but there was Many Acts from 1388 onwards - The most important being:
•1601 Poor Law – Churchwardens and 2 to 4 substantial householders be nominated yearly as “overseers of the poor” funds being provided by taxation of local inhabitants.
•Overseers Accounts may contain details of payment for rent, clothes, medical and funeral expenses etc. with the name of the recipients – also includes payments to the poor and details of bastardy.
•Poor Rate Books contain details of those who paid and can amount to a virtual census of the more prosperous parishioners
Act of Settlement 1662
•Every person should have an official parish of settlement.
•Parish was responsible for those having a legal settlement there – achieved mostly by Birth, Apprenticeship, A full years work and wages or by owning or renting property in that parish.
•Until 1743/4 (after which baby acquired its mothers place of settlement) it was common practice for vagrant pregnant women to be hastened on from Parish to Parish in order that the baby did not become responsibility of Parish.
•Strangers could be removed by order of Justices – workers (harvest, etc) had to have certificate from own Parish agreeing to take them back
I have attached a Settlement Certificate below - records are among the papers in the Parish Chest (Poor Law records) and if still exist, will be found at the local County Records Office.
Chris in 1066Land
PS - The injunction of 1538 which ordered the keeping of Parish Registers also required that each parish should provide “one sure coffer, with two locks and keys” in which the register book was to be kept. i.e The Parish Chest
Other items kept in this chest include the Church Silver and Communion plate as other documents connected with the running of the Parish
