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Folios 62-74. Letter from Harry White, Clerk to the Guardians of the Blything Poor...
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| Reference | MH 12/11730/25 |
|---|---|
| Date | 1836-08-10 |
| Description | Folios 62-74. Letter from Harry White, Clerk to the Guardians of the Blything Poor Law Union, to Edwin Chadwick, Secretary to the Poor Law Commission, with six enclosures, concerning the case of Mrs Drewe [Mrs Drew], and the letter published in the Suffolk Chronicle. The first enclosure is the report of the committee, appointed by the board of guardians on 25 July 1836, and signed by Thomas Freeman, Chairman, to enquire into the circumstances of the case of Drew; and also to investigate the letter, dated 20 July 1836, Brampton, in the Suffolk Chronicle of 23 July 1836. The letter was headed 'An Illustration of the treatment of the poor under the new fangled poor Law'. The committee find no complaint that can be made against the relieving officer or surgeon, and state that the letter in the newspaper is totally unfounded. They suggest, that as no satisfactory response to the letter, sent by the guardians to the editor, has been received, a public letter should be published refuting the allegations. They also find Mr Aldrich highly culpable for his attack on the relieving officer. The second enclosure is the evidence taken from Drew; Mr Panks, Relieving Officer 2nd Division; Aldrich, Landlord of the Angel Inn at Wangford; Mrs Aldrich, wife of the publican; Dr Lay, Surgeon 2nd Division; and Emma Baxter, illegitimate daughter of Drew. Drew stated she is married belonging to Wangford, late of Frostenden, but now resident in the workhouse at Bulcamp. Her husband, a tailor by trade, previously lived in Leiston, left her six years ago and moved away giving no support. Drew has four children; the eldest is 12 years old, bastard, belonging to Leiston; she has two children by her husband, aged nine years and seven years; the fourth child is an infant of seven weeks, the father being Thomas Day. Day now lives in Norfolk. Drew was in receipt of three shillings relief from Wangford up to February 1836. From February until her confinement she received 3s 6d per week. She did not apply for an increase as Day had promised to marry her. Panks, alerted by neighbours, called four days after confinement and increased her relief to 6s 6d, gradually reducing to 4s 6d. On Monday 11 July 1836 Drew collapsed on her way to attend the meeting of the board of guardians at the workhouse, and Mrs Aldrich took her in. As she did not attend the meeting her relief was stopped. Drew did not call Lay until Tuesday evening and was given medicine for ague. On Wednesday morning the overseer sent a note; Lay's assistant attended Drew; and she received 4s 6d relief via Panks daughter. Drew had no complaint about her treatment or allowances until they were stopped. Panks stated he had regularly relieved Drew while she was living at Frostenden, and again for three weeks after her confinement. As she did not attend the Board relief could not be paid until she requested a medical certificate. Panks was in the bar at the Angel Inn, Wangford, when Aldrich, in front of 10-12 people told him he had dealt badly with Drew. Panks responded it was none of his business to which Aldrich replied 'as a rate payer it was'. Aldrich confirmed Drew was at the inn on 11 July 1836 where she was given breakfast and then taken home in the fish van. Although Drew was weak he did not deem it necessary to call the doctor. Mrs Aldrich confirmed Drew had collapsed in the street, and also thought Drew had been well treated by Panks. Baxter called at the inn on Wednesday to say Lay would call on her mother on Thursday. Mr Potter was present when Baxter said her mother's relief had been stopped, and Mrs Aldrich believes it was Potter who told the magistrates. Lay confirmed that an application for a medical order had been made in his absence, which his assistant sent. The overseer asked Lay to visit Drew on Wednesday, but he sent his assistant who had issued the certificate. Baxter stated she visited Lay on Tuesday 12 July 1836 for medicine for ague. Mr Rackham, Lay's assistant gave it to her. She applied to Mr Adams, Overseer, on Tuesday evening and again on Wednesday morning, when she took the note to Lay. She saw Rackham who said he would visit Drew. Baxter returned to the inn and told Aldrich, in the presence of Potter, that Panks could not give relief to her mother until the medical certificate was issued; she also told Mrs Aldrich that Rackham was going to visit her mother. When Baxter returned home Panks' daughter had already delivered the money. The third enclosure is a copy of a proposed letter to the editor of the Suffolk Chronicle refuting the allegations made in the paper on 23 July 1836, for publication in both the county newspapers. The fourth enclosure is a copy of the minutes of the meeting of the board of guardians, held at the workhouse at Bulcamp, on 8 August 1836, where the committee appointed to investigate Drew's case reported their findings. The fifth enclosure is a copy of a letter from White to the editor requesting the name of the author of the letter published in the Suffolk Chronicle, with a reply from Jonathan Wooderspone, on behalf of the editor, saying he is unable to comply with the request. The final enclosure is a copy of the Suffolk Chronicle, dated 23 July 1836, [not included], with a request to return it to the board of guardians. Annotated: Mr Chadwick will you be so good as to examine these papers. Signed J F L [James Frankland Lewis]. Paper Number: 3072/A/1836. Poor Law Union Number 432. Counties: Suffolk. |
| Held by | The National Archives, Kew |
| Legal status | Public Record(s) |
| Language |
English |
| Closure Status | Open Document, Open Description |
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