Catalogue description Folio 38. Report from AD [Andrew Doyle, Poor Law Inspector], to the Poor Law Board, of...

Folio 38. Report from AD [Andrew Doyle, Poor Law Inspector], to the Poor Law Board, of the case of immorality, which has been brought against the workhouse porter [Ambrose Taylor]. The porter had been courting Sarah Hand for some time and had offered to marry her, although she had always declined. He recently 'carried on an illicit intercourse' with her and she became pregnant. She died shortly after giving birth to three children [triplets]. Hand was a schoolmistress in the workhouse about 12 years previously but this was not how the porter became acquainted with her. She was 38 years old. The only charge of misconduct of the porter was that he did not again offer to marry her when she had become pregnant.

Friends of Sarah Hand have stated that if the porter is not dismissed by the Board a public meeting will be held in Newcastle to appeal to the Board to do so.

[John Hand], brother of the deceased and Mr Heath [Thomas Heath], dissenting clergyman were present at the meeting of the guardians. No complaint has been made of the porters conduct in the workhouse, he also acts as baker.

It had been resolved to dismiss the porter but the majority were unwilling to adopt this and instead the porters conduct was to be censured.

Annotated: reserve until the copy of the resolution is received.

Paper Number: 10577/B/1857.

Poor Law Union Number 421.

Counties: Staffordshire.