Catalogue description Content: Folios 58-65. Letter from Henry Saunders, Clerk to the Guardians of...

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Details of MH 12/14016/33
Reference: MH 12/14016/33
Description:
Content: Folios 58-65. Letter from Henry Saunders, Clerk to the Guardians of Kidderminster Poor Law Union, to the Poor Law Commission, titled 'Kidderminster Poor Law Union' and enclosing copies of the resolutions passed at the first meeting of the Board of Guardians on Saturday, [15] October 1836 at the Lion Inn, Kidderminster. The documents contain a list of those present at the meeting and a series of resolutions approved regarding the following (details below): 1. Place and times of future meetings. 2. Byelaws concerning the conduct of the meetings and for payment of paupers. 3. The districts of the new union, appointments and salaries of officers. 4. Instructions to officers. 5. Election of a committee to inspect the workhouses. Present at the first meeting of the Board of Guardians of the Kidderminster Poor Law Union: 1. Robert Weale, Assistant Poor Law Commissioner. 2. Justices of the Peace residing within the union area (ex officio guardians): The Right Honourable the Earl of Mountnorris, George Talbot, Henry Talbot, William Trow, John Brown, John Lea, Abraham Turner, Jonathan Worthington, The Reverend Edward Hunnington Ingram, The Reverend Thomas Harward, Arthur Skey. 3. Area representatives: Borough of Kidderminster: The Reverend James Farley Turner, Thomas Pardoe Junior, Henry Brinton, James Holmes, Thomas Hopkins. Kidderminster Foreign: Henry Brinton, Henry Davies. Lower Mitton: Joseph Rogers. Ribbesford: John Smith. Bewdley: Richard Allport, The Reverend Joseph Fletcher. Wolverley: Reverend George Lea, John Hancocks. Churchill: Benjamin Whittaker. Stone: John Amphlett. Rushock: Joseph Watkins. Chaddesley Corbett: John Blakeway. Upper Arley: The Reverend John Allen. Broome: [vacant]. Dowles: Thomas Marson. The resolutions are summarised as follows, the guardians proposing and seconding each resolution being stated in the original documents: 1. The Right Honourable the Earl of Mountnorris was elected as Chairman, Abraham Turner as Vice-Chairman, of the Board of Guardians. 2. Future meetings to be held at the Lion Inn, Kidderminster, every Tuesday at 11am, the first weekly meeting being 25 October 1836. 3. On the recommendation of the Poor Law Commission, seven 'Byelaws' were adopted, with orders to print 250 copies. The main points were as follows: The minutes of the previous meeting should be read out. If a guardian wishes to speak, he must stand up to address the meeting, others must be silent and the chairman is to have overall control. All motions, except in cases of individual poor relief, to be submitted in writing, discussed and voted on openly. Rules were established regarding how often a person could speak on one motion, details included. No resolution, previously approved, to be rescinded or altered without two weeks' prior notice; it must be minuted, two thirds of the guardians present must agree and the details are to be notified to the Poor Law Commission. The chairman and vice-chairman are to be members of all committees; three members would form a quorum for each committee. All paupers in the Kidderminster Poor Law Union are to receive poor relief weekly, from 30 November 1836. All paupers not residing in their parishes are to nominate a resident in their parish to receive the relief and must produce a certificate of their health and circumstances every three months (the resolution includes the wording of the certificate). 4. For general poor relief, the new Kidderminster Poor Law Union is to be divided into two districts, namely Kidderminster District and Bewdley District, both with their own relieving officer. The Kidderminster District will consist of the current parishes of Kidderminster Borough, Kidderminster Foreign and Lower Mitton. The Bewdley District will consist of Bewdley, Ribbesford, Wolverley, Churchill, Stone, Rushock, Chaddesley Corbett, Broome, Upper Arley [Staffordshire] and Dowles [Shropshire]. 5. For medical relief, the new Kidderminster Poor Law Union is to be divided into three districts, each with their own medical officer, as follows: The Kidderminster [Medical] District will consist of the current Kidderminster Borough and Kidderminster Foreign parishes. The Bewdley [Medical] District will consist of Bewdley, Lower Mitton, Ribbesford, Upper Arley and Dowles. The Wolverley [Medical] District will consist of Wolverley, Churchill, Stone, Rushock, Chaddesley Corbett and Broome. 6. Salaries and securities are to be as follows: Clerk to the Guardians, if a solicitor, £90 a year, to include handling all legal business, with additional travelling expenses, otherwise £80 a year. Auditor: £20 a year. Relieving officers: £100 a year. The following officers are to provide security to guarantee the 'performance of their duties': the treasurer £2500, relieving officers £100 each, the workhouse governor £150, the workhouse matron £50. 7. Henry Saunders, Solicitor of Kidderminster, was appointed as Clerk to the Guardians, Abraham Turner [Justice of the Peace] as Treasurer, of the new Kidderminster Poor Law Union. 8. For the posts of relieving officers, advertisements are to be placed in the following newspapers: Birmingham Gazette, Worcester Journal, Staffordshire Advertiser, Wolverhampton Chronicle, Kidderminster Messenger and Wheelers Manchester Journal. The adverts are to include information on the requirements for a security, the salary and the districts, also that candidates are to send in testimonials by 7 November 1836 and 'appear personally' on 15 November 1836, when the 'elections' will take place. 9. The medical officers' salaries were approved as follows, all with 10 shillings extra for midwifery services: Kidderminster District: £110 a year. Bewdley District: £65 a year. Wolverley District: £60 a year. Their duties are to attend all cases of sickness and surgery and to provide medicines and treatments on the order of a relieving officer or other authority. Advertisements for the medical officers are to be placed in the Kidderminster Messenger and Worcester Journal, testimonials to be sent in by 7 November 1836 and interviews and 'elections' to take place on 15 November 1836. 10. Before the next meeting [25 October 1836], it was agreed that the following action would be taken: The clerk to the guardians will provide 'estimates and orders' to the churchwardens and overseers of all the parishes within the new Kidderminster Poor Law Union with instructions to pay to the treasurer, by 28 November 1836, ten per cent on the average amount of their annual expenditure, to contribute towards the future poor relief and expenses of the union. The clerk is also to prepare books, documents and a seal for the Kidderminster Poor Law Union. The overseers of every parish in the Kidderminster Poor Law Union are to prepare lists of their paupers on Poor Law Commission forms. 11. A committee of guardians was elected to inspect the existing workhouses and poorhouses within the new Kidderminster Poor Law Union area and to complete a report as soon as possible, including recommendations for the best use of the buildings. This committee is to be empowered to call in a surveyor, architect, etc. to provide plans and estimates for conversion, alteration or repairs. The plans will need the approval of the Board of Guardians before being executed. The names of the guardians elected to the committee are: Henry Talbot, The Reverend James Farley Turner, Henry Davies, The Reverend Edward Hunnington Ingram, Joseph Rogers, The Reverend William Fletcher, John Brown, John Amphlett, John Blakeway. Annotation: to approve the appointments and proceedings. Paper Number: 3861/C/1836. Poor Law Union Number 530. Counties: Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Shropshire.
Date: 20 Oct 1836
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Closure status: Open Document, Open Description

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