Interesting Stories and Notes
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Removal of Mary (Kent) Burgar from Nottingham to Burton (her parish of origin)
Mary and family were destitute after
her husband Walter Burgar left them in about 1831. They would have
no money and would quickly have been homeless and destitute. Families in this
condition would have to apply to the Poor Law authorities for money for food.
If they were born in the Town they would be entitled to Poor Law Relief, but
if they were not born there, they would be sent back to the Parish where they
were born.
This is what happened to Mary. She was brought before the Magistrates and an
Order of Removal was authorised76. This Order has the town crest at the top and
is mainly printed with spaces left blank to fill in the names of the Parishes,
and persons to be removed. Obviously there were a lot of Removals to be undertaken.
The one concerning Mary Burgar reads:
Town of Nottingham } To the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of
the Parish of Saint Peter in the Town of Nottingham and to the Churchwardens
and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Burton upon Trent in the County of
Staffordshire.
Whereas complaint has been made unto us, Two of his Majesty's Justices of the
Peace in and for the said Town of Nottingham, by the Churchwardens and Overseers
of the Poor of the Parish of Saint Peter in the said Town of Nottingham, - that
Mary Burgar wife of Walter Burgar, Cordwainer, absent from her and their children
Walter aged 10 years, Edwin aged five years and Sussanah aged seventeen weeks
have lately come to reside in their said Parish of Saint Peter not having obtained
any legal Settlement there, and have actually become chargeable to the said Parish
of Saint Peter which complaint we the said Justices, upon due proof thereof,
as well as upon the oath of the said Mary Burgar, as otherwise, do adjudge to
be true; and we do also adjudge that the last legal settlement of the said Mary
Burgar and her said children Walter, Edwin and Sussanah to be the said Parish
of Burton upon Trent and that thitherto they ought by Law to be sent.
These are therefore, in His Majesty's Name, to will you the Churchwardens and
Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Saint Peter in the Town of Nottingham,
forthwith to remove and to convey the said
Mary Burgar and her children Walter, Edwin and Sussanah from and out of your
said Parish of Saint Peter unto the said Parish of Burton upon Trent in the County
of Staffordshire, aforesaid, and deliver them unto the Churchwardens and Overseers
of the Poor there or to some or one of them together with this our Order, or
a true Copy thereof, at the same time shewing to them the Original, - who is
and are hereby required to receive and provide for them according to Law.
Given under our Hands and Seals the Thirteenth day of January One Thousand Eight
Hundred and Thirty Two.
{The document has the signatures of C.L. Morley Ald. and O. Oldknow Ald. With
two seals having on the "Police Office Nottingham"
( the 'Ald' meaning
Alderman}
Thus having established that she had no right to Poor Relief in Nottingham,
it was arranged to remove her and her children. A document in the Court Rolls
shows that she was removed a few days later.
Whereas it appears unto the court by Order of Removal bearing date Thirteenth
day of January one thousand eight hundred and thirty two under the hands as to
Charles Lennox Morley and Octavus Oldknow, Gentlemen Aldermen two of His Majesty's
Justice of the Peace of and for the Town of Nottingham that
Mary Burgar wife of Walter Burgar Cordwainer, absent from her and their children
Walter aged 10 years, Edwin aged 5 years and Sussanah aged seventeen weeks were
ordered to be removed from the Parish of St Peter in the town of Nottingham to
the Parish of Burton upon Trent in the County of Staffordshire as the place thereby
adjudged by the Justices to be the last legal settlement of the said Mary Burgar,
children Walter, Edwin and Sussanah, and whereas unto this Court by the oath
of John Hudson, assistant Overseer of the Poor of the said Parish of St Peter
that on the Eighteenth day of January aforesaid he did remove and convey the
said Mary and her said children Walter, Edwin and Sussanah from the said Parish
of St Peter to the said Parish of Burton upon Trent and there delivered them
together with a true copy of the Order of Removal to Robert Edwards Overseer
of the Poor of the Parish of Burton upon Trent. And whereas no appearance is
made at this General Quarter Sessions of the persons against said Warrant or
Order of Removal it is thereupon ordered that the same shall be filed upon the
Roll of this Court as a Warrant of Removal against which no appeal has been made
and the same now filed as such accordingly.
This shows that John Hudson took Mary and children to Burton and deposited them
with Robert Edwards, the Overseer in Burton. Since Burton did not contest the
Warrant, the Nottingham Court was able to file the case away and consider it
a job well done. The ratepayers of Nottingham would not be burdened with the
upkeep of the Burgar family.