Overseers of the Poor Records 1723-1872
Transcribed and donated to the Dorset OPC by Kim Parker
To minimise the burden of relieving the poor, Justices of the Peace and parish officers, known as Overseers of the Poor from 1579, applied the Poor Laws in order to regulate and monitor immigration to their parish, with the unemployed, those requiring poor relief and economically undesirable migrants - such as single women (especially if pregnant), older workers, and men with large families being treated particularly harshly. As well as issues relating to settlement, the Overseers of the Poor also became involved in the apprenticeship of poor children, particularly orphans, children of poor widows and illegitimate children, and in brokering agreements for men (or their representatives) to contribute to the maintenance of their bastard children. Unfortunately, very few of these documents relating to residents of the parish of East Stoke have survived. The following can be consulted at the Dorset History Centre.
SETTLEMENT EXAMINATIONS Date Description Reference 04 Oct 1825 Ann LAMPARD, singlewoman, now residing in East Stoke PE-WLU/OV/2/1/14 04 Oct 1825 Thomas LAMPARD, Dairyman, states that he was "appointed collector of taxes" for West Lulworth PE-WLU/OV/2/1/15 SETTLEMENT CERTIFICATES Date Description Reference 1723 John & Eleanor RANDOM. D-RGB/KF36 22 Feb 1729/30 William SKINNER, his wife & family. Place of Settlement: East Stoke. PE-BER/OV/5/1/13 03 Jun 1753 Mary POPE and Mary her child. Place of Settlement: East Stoke PE-BER/OV/5/1/31 REMOVAL ORDERS TO EAST STOKE Date Description Reference 10 Jan 1745/46 Elizabeth FOARD, singlewoman, to be removed from Charlton Marshall PC-CHM/5/3/2/1 02 Oct 1752 Mary, wife of George POPE, to be removed from Bere Regis PE-BER/OV/5/3/33 03 Sep 1850 Jane GALTON, singlewoman, to be removed from Wareham PE-WA/OV/4/3/1 REMOVAL ORDERS FROM EAST STOKE Date Description Reference 1785 William & Jane DICKER, Martha, Joseph & James their children, to be removed to Hilton PE-HIL/OV/2/2/4 06 Jul 1793 Anna Maria Tollerfield SEXEY, bastard child of widow Elizabeth WELLSTEAD, to be removed to Bere Regis PE-BER/OV/5/4/25 19 Apr 1817 Andrew GEAH, Elizabeth his wife and their son George, to be removed to Puddletown PE-PUD/OV/3/4/41 21 Dec 1822 Susan SKINNER and Mary Ann & Hannah her children, to be removed to Puddletown PE-PUD/OV/3/3/89 08 Dec 1836 Peggy STICKLAND, to be removed to Wareham PE-WA/OV/10/1/1 29 May 1839 Sarah CANE, widow, and Mary her daughter, to be removed to Wareham PE-WA/OV/10/2/1 03 Sep 1850 Ann DUNNING widow, to be removed to Wareham PE-WA/OV/10/1/16 APPRENTICESHIP INDENTURES Date Description Reference 18 Jul 1744 Elizabeth STANDLY of Wareham to Robert SERLY, Husbandman of East Stoke PE-WA/OV/5/5 12 Jun 1763 Elizabeth PUNCH of Wareham, age 9, to William SERLEY, Yeoman of East Stoke, in the art of husbandry PE-WA/OV/5/14 24 Jan 1800 Joseph MILLER junior of East Stoke, age 15, to William CURE, Blacksmith of Grange [Steeple] D1-KU/1 09 May 1854 Robert VINCENT of East Stoke to Robert GARRETT, Blacksmith of East Stoke D.1369/A/14/1/35 11 Jun 1872 Robert SCUTT junior of Sutton Poyntz to William LUCAS, Miller of Bindon Mills, East Stoke D.1369/A/14/1/68 (The last three of these apprenticeship indentures were not arranged by parish overseers, but are included here for convenience)