You are viewing the catalogue description of the following item:
Folios 272-273. Letter from Stephen Clissold, Rector of Wrentham, to the Poor Law...
Description and record details
| Reference | MH 12/11728/107 |
|---|---|
| Date | 1835-09-22 |
| Description | Folios 272-273. Letter from Stephen Clissold, Rector of Wrentham, to the Poor Law Commission, about the system of task labour for able-bodied labourers receiving parish relief. All such work should be written in an outdoor labour book, but efficient supervision is required, not by the relieving officer in agricultural districts, but by the overseers of the poor. Certificates can prevent fraud by the pauper or evasion by the parish, as the parochial officers are responsible for their truth. The adoption of this should not be pressed upon the parishes, they can send their paupers to the workhouse, and over-occupation will mean they take up the task labour system. Practically, the Blything Poor Law Union house is not yet ready for more inmates, and there are more able-bodied labourers. Their allowances are often equal to the independent labourer's wages, but they are indolent, and consequently discontented. There is already turbulence and considerable excitement when it became known that task work would be given in return for relief. He asks for some information on the subject, or improvements on the plan. The proposed plan will make it unnecessary for parishes to hire land. If digging the land is advantageous to the occupiers, so that there is competition to hire land [to the overseers], then perhaps the occupiers should pay the costs of ploughing. The usefulness of paupers signing or marking that they have received any payment is queried, they can rarely mark or sign their names, and it would be better to have the overseer or his representative to sign as a witness in the relieving officer's accounts. The use of the Receipt Book for bastard cases is also queried. In Blything Hundred the order is usually made payable by the magistrates to the board of guardians rather than to the churchwardens. The Board is awaiting the instructions of the Commission, but may object that these orders should be made payable to the churchwardens. Poor Law Union Number 432. Counties: Suffolk. |
| Held by | The National Archives, Kew |
| Legal status | Public Record(s) |
| Language |
English |
| Access conditions | Open on Transfer |
| Closure Status | Open Document, Open Description |
How to order/download this record
- View this record page in Discovery – our catalogue
- Check viewing options
- Select an option and follow instructions
Note: Not all documents are available and options will vary.
View this record page in Discovery (link opens in a new window)This record is in the series
Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and...
See the series level description for more information about this record.
View series description