Agricultural Labourer In Receipt Of Parish Relief

[matt94]

Hello

On 1851 Census, I have an 81 year-old ancestor who was 'Agricultural Labourer In Receipt Of Parish Relief'. What does this mean? Would more info be held in other records?

Matt

[Arranroots]

Hello Matt

Yes, if they have survived, you should be able to find out more from the workhouse/ guardians of the poor records, which are likely to be held in the record office relevant to the parish in which your chap was living.

Sometimes they are quite detailed and give the reason for providing relief - it might be money and/ or food - and sometimes you will find records of admission to the poorhouse either to provide work and in-relief (as opposed to out-relief, when the recipient lived at home).You might also find admissions for health reasons - workhouses tended to act as hospitals do now.

So, your record office is the next place to try!

Kind regards, Arranroots   

[matt94]

This is the record:

SELLWOOD, Alexander Head Widower M 81  1770 Agricultural Labourer In Receipt Of Parish Relief, Chieveley, Berkshire (living Cock Land Bradfield Berkshire), so was not in workhouse..

What type of record would they be held in? Overseers papers?

Just checking the Berks FHS records for overseers papers, but they only stretch to 1834.
Vol 5 BRADFIELD UNION Bucklebury, Burghfield, Stanford Dingley, Sulham, Sulhamstead Abbots, Sulhamstead Bannister & Theale.

Matt

[Arranroots]

He might not have been in the workhouse at the time, but he might have applied later, especially given that he was elderly in 1851.

Yes, Overseers records, Guardians' Minute Books and suchlike - they tend to be called different things in different areas.

Contact the Record Office direct if their site doesn't have a name index.

Good luck!

Kind regards, Arranroots 

[Greensleeves]

I have a number of Ag Labs in my tree who are similarly listed.  They are all of considerable age, so whilst they might have been  an Ag Lab, they are probably no longer up to the job!   I see your chap is 81, so it is not surprising that he is drawing the equivalent of a means-tested retirement pension!

[matt94]

Thanks alot

He is not a direct ancestor but I like to hear about all this. Turns out that alot of the Sellwoods in my tree went into the workhouse at some point.

Matt

[Arranroots]

Remember that there was no alternative for most people.

There was no pension credit or child support and no paid leave when you fell ill.  Doctors were expensive in the days before the National Health Service but the workhouse might have been able to help.

I found fascinating records of my own relatives and the loaves and shillings they received when they fell on hard times.  Also a relative who obviously couldn't take care of himself and died of malnutrition in the workhouse, as an elderly widower ... 

[matt94]

The oldest person I can see in Workhouse Burials in Bradfield is Thomas Arlott aged 92. An undignified but sad end, I must say. I have only found two relatives at Bradfield Workhouse but I know there were more who married out etc.

Matt

[Greensleeves]

It seems to me that if you had a family who would - or could - look after you, then you might escape the workhouse by living with them and, with luck, also claiming parish relief.  In addition if your employer was benevolent, presumably people who had rendered good service over the years might be allowed to retain their cottages until they died. 

 I have just noticed one of my chaps, aged 75, was in a workhouse, but listed as Ag Lab.  However, many more of them in workhouses were listed as 'Pauper'.  I wonder how the differentiation was made as to whether you retained your original occupation, or were reduced to pauper status.

I was also shocked to find that one of the Suffolk farmers in my tree subsequently ended up listed as Pauper in the local workhouse, whilst his two sons were in the farm and shown as Farmers.