The Brampton Bierlow Poor

Brampton Bierlow Overseers of the Poor Account Book

Before the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 set up the centralised Union workhouses, each parish (or township in very large parishes) was responsible for giving help to its poor inhabitants. Money raised by the poor rates and any legacies from former parishioners funded the system, which was administered by overseers, elected by & from among the local ratepayers.

The account book contains a wide variety of payments for such things as mending or replacing worn out shoes and clothes (particularly for growing children); rethatching roofs; bedding and medication for the sick; coal in winter; attendance by midwives; removing paupers from elsewhere to their parish of origin; getting maintenance orders against the fathers of illegitimate children.

The display features payments made over the winter of 1807-8, just 200 years ago and focuses on the illness of Betty Walker of West Melton.

A 52-year-old widow she had fallen sick at the end of the summer and special payments were made to her from the first of September. £1 9s 3d was spent on brandy, ale & wine (then regarded as healthy stimulants for the sick) and a local doctor was paid the substantial sum of 3 guineas to attend her. Her funeral expenses, including a coffin, shroud, crape for mourning and drink for the ‘wakers’ and coffin bearers came to £1 0s 4d.

 Image, Transcript and History of the Brampton Bierlow Poor (239 Kb)