Meaning
A parish official responsible for administering poor relief to the destitute.
Description
Overseers of the Poor were unpaid parish officials appointed annually under the Elizabethan Poor Law to assess and collect the poor rate and distribute relief to those in need. They were responsible for setting paupers to work, apprenticing pauper children and removing those without a settlement in the parish. The role was onerous and often unpopular. Overseers kept detailed accounts of their expenditure that are valuable genealogical records. The office was abolished with the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 which transferred responsibility for poor relief to the new Poor Law Unions.
Also Known As
Parish Overseer, Overseer
Commonly Found In
- Poor Law Records
- Vestry Minutes
- Parish Registers
- Settlement Examinations
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