Looking at the Nailsea poor records, I find that the overseer for 1808-9 was one Sarah Greenfield. At the preceeding parish meeting, James Coombs had been nominated as overseer, but it was very common for the person nominated not to take up the appointment. Can anyone tell me whether a female overseer was unusual as I had assumed at the time, and what the qualifications were for the post? Sarah had previously been fined in lieu of taking an apprentice, so evidently held land in the parish in her own right. Happy Easter to all, Ian

Ian Sage wrote: > Looking at the Nailsea poor records, I find that the overseer for 1808-9 was > one Sarah Greenfield. At the preceeding parish meeting, James Coombs had > been nominated as overseer, but it was very common for the person nominated > not to take up the appointment. > > Can anyone tell me whether a female overseer was unusual as I had assumed at > the time, and what the qualifications were for the post? Sarah had > previously been fined in lieu of taking an apprentice, so evidently held > land in the parish in her own right. There were several instances in Walton when one of the overseers was female. Most of the time though she nominated a man to stand for her. From memory, there was one instance where the nominated lady did serve. I'm not sure what the qualifications were, but the ability to write wasn't one of them! At least one, and I think two, signed the accounts with a mark. > Happy Easter to all, Likewise :)) -- Charani (UK) OPC for Walton, Greinton and Clutton, SOM Asst OPC for Ashcott and Shapwick, SOM http://wsom-opc.org.uk