Overseer of the Poor
Encyclopedia
An Overseer of the Poor was an official who administered poor relief
such as money, food, and clothing in England and various other countries which derived their law from England.
such as money, food and clothing as part of the Poor Law
system. The position was created by the Act for the Relief of the Poor of 1597
.
Overseers of the Poor were often reluctant appointees who were unpaid, working under the supervision of a Justice of the Peace
. The law required two Overseers to be elected every Easter
, and churchwarden
s or landowners were often selected.
The new system of poor relief reinforced a sense of social hierarchy and provided a way of controlling the 'lower orders'. Overseers of the Poor were replaced in the Poor Law Amendment Act
of 1834, and replaced with Boards of Guardians, although Overseers remained in some places as a method of collecting the poor rate.
were often reluctant but elected, unpaid officers of the town. Towns were sometimes so small in population, that a few applicants for aid could overwhelm the budget.
Frequent requests for aid could result in the applicant being sent to a county poor farm
where residents were not only expected to work to support themselves, but often to support handicapped or elderly residents, as well. Sometimes the latter predominated, putting an insupportable burden on able-bodied residents.
Relief was obtained when the state took over welfare in 1968.
Poor relief
Poor Relief refers to any actions taken by either governmental or ecclesiastical bodies to relieve poverty experienced by a population. More specifically, the term poor relief is often used to discuss how European countries dealt with poverty from the time just around the end of the medieval era to...
such as money, food, and clothing in England and various other countries which derived their law from England.
England
In England, Overseers of the Poor administered poor reliefPoor relief
Poor Relief refers to any actions taken by either governmental or ecclesiastical bodies to relieve poverty experienced by a population. More specifically, the term poor relief is often used to discuss how European countries dealt with poverty from the time just around the end of the medieval era to...
such as money, food and clothing as part of the Poor Law
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
system. The position was created by the Act for the Relief of the Poor of 1597
Act For the Relief of the Poor 1597
The Act for the Relief of the Poor of 1597 was a piece of poor law legislation in England and Wales. It provided the first complete code of poor relief and was later amended in 1601 in the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601 which formed the basis of poor relief for the next two centuries.The Act...
.
Overseers of the Poor were often reluctant appointees who were unpaid, working under the supervision of a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. The law required two Overseers to be elected every Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
, and churchwarden
Churchwarden
A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
s or landowners were often selected.
The new system of poor relief reinforced a sense of social hierarchy and provided a way of controlling the 'lower orders'. Overseers of the Poor were replaced in the Poor Law Amendment Act
Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, sometimes abbreviated to PLAA, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the country's poverty relief system . It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the...
of 1834, and replaced with Boards of Guardians, although Overseers remained in some places as a method of collecting the poor rate.
Duties
Overseers had four duties:- Estimate how much poor relief money was needed in order to set the poor ratePoor rateIn England and Wales, under the 1601 Elizabethan Poor Law the poor rate was a tax on property levied on the parish which was used to provide poor relief to the parish poor. The tax was collected by local magistrates or Overseers of the Poor, and later by Local Authorities....
accordingly; - Collect the poor rate;
- Distribute poor relief; and
- Supervise the poorhousePoorhouseA poorhouse or workhouse was a government-run facility in the past for the support and housing of dependent or needy persons, typically run by a local government entity such as a county or municipality....
.
Vermont
Overseers of the Poor in the state of VermontVermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
were often reluctant but elected, unpaid officers of the town. Towns were sometimes so small in population, that a few applicants for aid could overwhelm the budget.
Frequent requests for aid could result in the applicant being sent to a county poor farm
Poorhouse
A poorhouse or workhouse was a government-run facility in the past for the support and housing of dependent or needy persons, typically run by a local government entity such as a county or municipality....
where residents were not only expected to work to support themselves, but often to support handicapped or elderly residents, as well. Sometimes the latter predominated, putting an insupportable burden on able-bodied residents.
Relief was obtained when the state took over welfare in 1968.