While reading through Vestry Minute Books for Bury St James and Bury St Mary for the decades either side of 1800 in the Bury St Edmunds Records Office last week, I noticed that each year the churchwardens and overseers would set a Poor Rate, and that they compiled lists of those they exempted from the rates, because they were too poor to pay.
These lists are arranged in the Vestry Minute Books by street, so you get a sort of mini census, but only of the heads of household and only of those too poor to pay the rates.
If your ancestors were at the poorer end of the spectrum, then these lists might well be worth a look
I'm sorry, but I didn't have time to copy or transcribe the lists, as I was only in Bury for a couple of days. I wish I had had the time, as it would make a fascinating resource.
