'Outside Pensioner' - what is it?

[JenB]

Here is a link which mentions indoor and outdoor pensioners
 http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1890/mar/24/vestry-of-st-botolph-bishopsgate

Jennifer

[scrimnet]

"She" cold not be a Chelsea Pensioner. Women are to be admitted this year, preparations are underway for their accommodation.

Didn't you say it was a "she" with the title outside pensioner?

Or am I reading it wrong??

The terms "in pensioner" and "out pensioner" normally have the prefix "Chelsea" and they are the army ones.

Army pensions were originally administered from there.

It is unlikely that a female in 1881 would be a Chelsea pensioner herself!!

Is she in receipt of Alms from a charity, but not living in an almshouse?



As an aside, The other odd bod title to look for is "service patient" when referring to mental hospitals...These are the remaining shell shock victims...

There was irony in my statement.....

[Maggie.]

Thank you for the link, Jen.... interesting.

My husband's Outside Pensioner, in 1881, was newly widowed with a baby of under 12 months and several other children.  It seems likely to me that Trish's description of an 'outside pauper' living on parish relief but not inside the workhouse might apply here.  Did she perhaps she received short term help from the parish to help get her over a difficult time in the aftermath of the death of her husband, whilst continuing to live in her home?  Ten years later in 1891 her occupation is given as Laundress.

Maggie

[behindthefrogs]

I have just been looking at the definition of pensioner in my early 20th century dictionary (10p from a carboot):

One in receipt of a pension: a dependant; a hireling.

A pension has numerous definitions but comes down to anyone in receipt of an allowance for various reasons including to enable them to study, carry out their work or just to secure their services when required.  These are in addition to the modern meaning an allowance for past services or just paid by the government.

David