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.

 

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