Somersham.info

Even as the battle of Waterloo was being fought, the issue of dealing with the poor was becoming a problem across England. The enclosure of common lands and the move of populations into industrial towns changed society, not necessarily by making people poorer per se, but by removing certainty from their lives. The peasant farmer had his rent to pay and his crops and livestock to feed him. The weather could make him poor or rich at a whim but his life and what he would do with it was a given. Once populations became labourers in either town or country, the possibility of work and therefore wages became less predictable. These initial attempts at poor relief in the parish are quite benign. It is clearly the duty of the church to attend to this matter and the methods employed do not yet hint at the workhouse world described by Dickens.

The second item shows that whatever the fine principles behind the Workhouse system, the cost to the taxpayer was as regular as modern social security costs, even if the relationship between the poor and those who paid for them was much more direct.

Item 1

Vestry Minutes 1815 from Somersham Parish records
At a vestry meeting held at the Church and adjourned to the George Inn on Wednesday evening March 29 for the purpose of putting out the poor to maintain from this present time till lady day 1816.
It was agreed that Jeremiah Canham should have the Care of the poor and the Government of the workhouse upon the terms and hereinafter mentioned as under.
1. For all persons that are in the workhouse or who are to be sent in by the Church wardens and Overseers the sum of three shillings each (for) the time the household Flour continues at four shillings per stone but if the Flour rises in price he is to be allowed and halfpenny per head for every penny the flour rises and he agrees to fall the price in proportion as the Flour falls.
2. For every Burial in the workhouse the Master to be allowed seven shillings and sixpence for the laying out for Victuals and drink for the funeral.
3. For any woman that may lie in the workhouse the Master to be allowed Forty shillings for the month.
4. The Master to be allowed the sum of twelve pounds in lieu of Firing half of which to be paid at Midsummer and the other half at Michaelmas next.
5. The parish to provide one new Milch Cow the milk of which to be for the use of the house whish Cow to be sold at Michaelmas and another new Milch Cow to be provided until Lady Day the master providing for the keep of said Cows.
6. The Master to cause all poor parishioners under his care to attend either Church or meeting whichever is most agreeable to them on the Lords Day both morning and afternoon, the children to go to church unless taken by their parents to meeting with a proper person as the Officers should approve to go with them.
7. The Minister Churchwardens and overseer and other principle parishioners to have full liberty to inspect the provisions in the House at any time and to see the poor people there in what condition they are and all other things belonging to said workhouse.
8. The household Goods as they are now, reasonable wear accepted, to be delivered up at the end of the time and an inventory to be taken a Copy of which to be lodged with the Master.
9. That it may be at the option of the Churchwardens and Overseer to put any person whom they think proper and take out whom so ever they please.
10. If the provisions are found fault with by the minister and a Majority of the officers for the time being the Master to be fined forty shillings for every time so offending.
The Parish agrees to allow Jeremiah Canham Eleven Guineas to find the two Cows for the year.

Witness my hand
Jeremiah Canham (signed)

Witness
Thomas Arbelle

Item 2

Note from Poor Relief Book for Somersham Parish - The contribution rate account should be debited with the amount of all the sums ordered by the Board of Guardians to be levied for the contribution of the Parish to the Union (of St Ives) and credited with all the payments made on behalf of the Parish to the Treasurer of the Union.

Year 1836 Requests for Payment

Ł35

Ł109-7-4 asked on 29 June paid over on 18 July

Ł115 asked for 28 Sept paid over on 4 November. However all amounts were paid in full

Both items Cambridgeshire Record Office – Grammar School Walk, Huntingdon