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| Folio 237. [Continued from [MH 12/10998/] Newspaper cutting, from the Hampshire Independent of Saturday 29 December 29 1849, is included titled 'Southampton Board of Guardians' concerning their business on Thursday. The meeting had been led by Richard Andrews, Mayor in the Chair while in attendance were Robert Edwards, Deputy President and Messrs Swayne, Hacker, [illegible], Sandell, Degee, Rogers and Bell. A series of correspondence was read: From Andrews to Edwards drawing attention to several matters witnessed on the same day as the guardians were visiting last Thursday, including an incident involving a man wrapped in a rug who said he was ill. On asking if anyone had been to him he replied 'not a soul' he had been there since five thirty the previous day. Andrews had intervened and having sent for both Medical Officers, Mr Cheesman eventually arrived first and took immediate action. The man, William Pearson of Somerset was passing from [illegible] to Plymouth [Devon]. Edwards wrote a reply that same evening confirming that the notice placed against the wall on entering the yard is not correctly worded. The resolution prohibits the relieving officer giving money or work to single men or men without families, but it does not prevent him giving relief by ticket or with bread. The casual poor are nearly double in number to what they were this time last year and they feel the need to be more strict in giving relief. The guardians are now considering improvements to the tramp house, including enlarging it, also the place where applicants for relief wait. From Andrews to Edwards dated 22 December stating another cases observed of 'a poor creature, with two small children, one lame, the other not able to walk' who called on him and said she had just been turned out of the poorhouse yard as they had no room for her or her children. He sent her away with a note to the relieving officer requesting she be taken in. On going down to the workhouse gates he found the poor woman and her two children, with about fourty others, outside of the gates. 'All of them nearly wretchedly clothed, and a most piercing cold evening, waiting to be relieved'. The Mayor briefly addressed the Board, expressing his dislike for ex-officio members interfering with the guardians who devoted their time to their duties. He felt that the 'fault lay somewhere between the porter at the gate and one of the relieving officers. The porter [Joseph Vallens] is a poor old man, and a pauper, evidently unfit for the performance of such duties;' It was moved by Mr Edwards a new relieving officer be advertised for in the place of Mr Simmonds, [Edward Henry Simmons] who is under notice of dismissal. Also for a porter or gatekeeper. It was also resolved that Mr Higgins, Assistant Clerk, be dismissed from his office due to his continued neglect of duty. It was also resolved to appoint a surveyor to assess new properties, and other properties the rating of which were disputed. Mr Cheesman [George Cheesman, Medical Officer] had inadvertently commented that on his salary he could not afford to give proper medicine to the poor. Mr Edwards commented 'whether the pay was high or low, they had always had several candidates more than were wanted; and parties who accepted the office ought not afterwards to turn round and complain'. The final newspaper cutting included is from the Hampshire Independent of Saturday December 29 1849 under the title 'The Poor Law of Southampton - Letter 2' an open letter from a ratepayer to the editor. The writer quotes the local act requiring 'eighteen of the most discreet inhabitants of the said town' to be guardians of the poor. He goes on to explain, at great length, the conflict between this requirement and the time and effort required to completely fulfil those duties by the businessmen who tend to occupy the positions. Paper Number: 38526/1849. Poor Law Union Number 407. Counties: Hampshire. |
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