EXAMPLES OF OVERSEERS DOCUMENTS
These transcriptions have
been made from documents held at the Dorset History Centre in Dorchester and
donated to the Dorset OPC Project by Kim Parker
Settlement Examinations were conducted to determine which parish an individual who had fallen on hard times and stood in need of parish relief belonged to.
Dorset}
To Wit} – The Examination of William Lovelass now residing in the Parish of Mosterton taken on Oath before me one of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the County aforesaid the 21st day of March 1757. (Touching the Place of his last Legal Settlement.)
Who saith that he was born in the Parish of Mosterton in the County of Dorset as he hath been informed by his Parents where his Father had a House which was rated to the Church and Poor, & paid ye 12 [illegible] January. He further saith that when he was about fifteen or sixteen years of age he hired himself as a Servant to Henry Abbott for two years’ Service absolute for which he was to receive victuals & cloathes for his said Service. He further saith that he lived at Peckett Farm in the Parish of South Perrott in the said county of Dorset where he worked twelve months or more and paid three shillings a week for his Diet, and he hath not done any Act whereby to gain a Legal Settlement but as above.
Taken and Sworn the Day and Year above before me
Signed John TUCKER
The mark of William LOVELASS
Quero. wither his Father’s house hath been rated or not.
(DHC microfilm ref: MIC/R/1634)
If, as a result of the settlement examination, it was discovered that the person in question had not gained legal settlement in the parish, then they would be removed to the last parish where they were legally settled. By the late eighteenth century, pre-printed settlement removal orders were in use in many parishes. The transcription below shows the portions of the pre-printed order completed by hand in blue.
Dorset}
To Wit} To the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Mosterton in the County of Dorset, to convey, and the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Broadwinsor in the County of Dorset to receive THESE. Whereas Complaint has been made by you the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Mosterton in the said County of Dorset unto us whose Hands and Seals are hereunto set, two of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace (whereof one is of the Quorum) for the said County of Dorset. THAT William Chubb Labourer, Mary his wife, Sarah their Daughter aged one year half and William their Son aged three weeks have lately intruded themselves into your said Parish of Mosterton there to inhabit as ye Parishioners contrary to the Laws relating to the Settlement of the Poor, and have become chargeable to the said Parish of Mosterton. Upon due examination and enquiry made into the Premises by us the said Justices, it appears unto us and we accordingly adjudge that the said William Chubb, Mary his wife and Sarah and William their children are become chargeable unto the said Parish of Mosterton and that the last legal Place of Settlement of the said William Chubb, Mary his wife and Sarah and William their children was and is in the Parish of Broadwinsor aforesaid, in the County of Dorset.
THESE are therefore in his Majesty’s Name to order and require you the said Churchwardens and Overseers of the Parish of Mosterton aforesaid, that you or some of you do forthwith remove and convey the said William Chubb, Mary his wife and Sarah and William their children from your said Parish of Mosterton to the said Parish of Broadwinsor and them deliver to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor there, or some or one of them, together with this our Warrant or Order, or a true copy thereof, whereby they are likewise required in his Majesty’s Name, and by Virtue of the Statutes in such Case made, forthwith to receive the said William Chubb, Mary his wife and Sarah and William their children into the Parish of Broadwinsor and provide for them as their own Parishioners.
Given under our Hands and Seals the 3rd day of February in the Year of our Lord 1812.
Signed T.R. DREWE + [seal] & [faded signature] + [seal]
Note that on 06 JUN 1816 this family would again suffer the ignominy of being removed, this time from Beaminster to Broadwinsor.
(DHC
microfilm ref: MIC/R/1634)
Bastardy examinations were conducted to determine the name of the father of an illegitimate child likely to become chargeable to the parish. In the eighteenth century, the examination might even be conducted by a midwife while the mother was in labour. By the nineteenth century bastardy examinations were more formal affairs conducted before examining magistrates.
Dorsetshire
The Examination of Hannah Guppy of Mosterton in ye County aforesaid Singlewoman taken upon oath before me this 21st Day of January Anno Dom 1725.
Who saith that she is with child of a bastard child which when born is likely to become chargeable to the said parish and that Christopher Burbidge of Misterton in ye County of Somerset Labourer is the father of the same, this Examinant said that the said Christopher Burbidge (after many solicitations and promises of marriage) had ye carnale knowledge of her body several times Viz about four days before St. James Day past he had ye carnale knowledge of her body in an outhouse of Joan Dally’s within ye Parish of Mosterton at which time she was begotten with child, and this Examinant saith that the said Christopher Burbidge hath had ye carnale knowledge of her body several other times at her own house within the said parish of Mosterton but the particular days of the carnale knowledge for and further saith not.
Capt & Jurat aps Mapperton in Co. Dorset dia & anno supradich coram me
Rir. Brodsepp
Hannah Guppy
(DHC
microfilm ref: MIC/R/ 1661)
Bastardy Bonds determined which adult male or males would support an illegitimate child, usually the father, a member of the father’s family or some other agent of the father. Mosterton parish records include a Bastardy Bond sworn by Robert COLLANT, Yeoman of Little Windsor, and his step-father, Arthur STUDLEY, Yeoman of Little Windsor, in favour of Mosterton Parish for the maintenance of Hannah HAWKER's "female Bastard Child", born in 1782. The Bond refers to Hannah's bastardy examination (now lost) and mentions that she named Robert COLLANT as the father of the child. It reads:
Know all men by these presents that we Robert Collant of Little Windsor in the County of Dorset Yeoman and Arthur Studley of the same place Yeoman are held and firmly bound unto Henry Abbott and Benjamin Bowring Chappell Warden and Overseer of the Poor of the parish of Mosterton in the said County of Dorset In Trust for the parishioners of the said Parish in the sum of forty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid to the said Henry Abbott and Benjamin Bowring or their certain Attorney Executors Administrators or Assigns For the true payment whereof we bind ourselves and each other by himself for the whole and every part thereof our and each of our Heirs Executors and Admons firmly by these presents sealed with our seals Dated this Second Day of September in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Two
Whereas Hannah Hawker of Mosterton aforesaid Singlewoman hath been lately Delivered of a female Bastard Child in the parish of Mosterton aforesaid and which Child is chargeable to the said parish of Mosterton and on her Examination lately taken on Oath before One of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace of and for the said County of Dorset hath Declared that the above bounden Robert Collant is the father of such female Bastard Child Now the Condition of this Obligation is such that if the above bounded Robert Collant his Executors or Administrators do and shall weekly and on the Monday in Every Week from the Date hereof untill the said female Bastard Child shall attain the age of Seven Years if the said female Bastard Child should so long be Chargeable to the said parish of Mosterton well and truly pay or cause to be paid unto the said Henry Abbott and Benjamin Bowring or their Successors the Chappell Warden and Overseer of the Poor of the said parish of Mosterton for the Time being the full sum of one Shilling and Three pence per week for and towards the Maintenance Education Bringing up and Support of the said female Bastard Child, And Also if the said Robert Collant his Executors or Administrators do and shall as aoon as the said female Bastard Child shall have attained the age of Seven Years put and place the said Child an apprentice by Indenture for a Term not less than Seven Years to some person or persons living out of and not residing in the said parish of Mosterton Then this Obligation to be void and of non Effect But else to remain in full force and virtue
Sealed and Delivered by the abovenamed Robert Collant and Arthur Studley being first only stamped in the presence of John R. Russell (signed); Edward Robinson (signed); Robert Collant (signed); Arthur Studley (signed)
(DHC microfilm ref: MIC/R/ 1635)