In message <[email protected]>, [email protected] writes >Good morning listers! > >In the 1841 census an occupation is given for a William Sayer, aged 60, in >the return for Yarm (east side) (HO107/1259 Folio 15) as `Relieving officer' >. Does anyone know what that means? > >Cheers > >laurel Sayer >Surrey > > Hi Laurel, This has to do with the administration of Poor relief under the Poor Laws The Poor Law was established by Acts of 1597 and 1601, and placed responsibility for the poor firmly in the hands of the parish. The 1601 Act ordered the appointment of overseers of the poor and their accounts often show payments made to the poor. Funds were derived mainly from the poor rate. From the 17th century parishes were allowed to have a workhouse. However, they could be quite expensive and so, under Gilbert's Act of 1782, some parishes were allowed to combine into unions to build a workhouse and give outdoor-relief. The New Poor Law The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 created a Poor Law Commission for England & Wales. Responsibility for the relief of the poor was removed from the parish and given to a Union. At a local level, a Board of Guardians, chosen from local gentry, clergy and major tradesmen, controlled the administration of relief, both through the workhouses and outdoor relief. In turn they appointed permanent officers, mainly the RELIEVING OFFICER and workhouse master, to administer to the poor. They operated through a series of committees. The Board of Guardians remained in existence until 1930 when local authority Public Assistance Committees replaced them. Relieving officers were employed to receive applications for relief, and make payments when these had been approved by the Board. They also issued orders to admit people to workhouses. Thus they would have been a respected and trusted member of the community. As they handled money their appointment usually required two sureties. The relieving officer had to keep detailed accounts of all money and material given in out door relief. The account had to be authenticated by the clerk and approved by the Board of Guardians. He was expected to reside in the relief district to which he was appointed "devoting his full time to the performance of the duties of his office." This in effect meant that he could not have any other trade, profession or business. The Poor Law Commissioners were trying to prevent a situation arising where the relieving officer’s objectivity and partiality could be compromised by customers or clients attempting to "conciliate his favour." They believed that the relieving officer should possess the same qualities as a policeman, "he ought to possess firmness of mind, so as to be enabled in the discharge of his duty to resist intimidation from whatever quarter it might come." See more on Victorian Poor Law at <http://www.victorianweb.org/history/poorlaw/plaatext.html> Regards, -- Helen Oram