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Old 05-10-09, 12:59
Olde Crone Olde Crone is offline
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Are you sure it doesn't say "Post of charge hand"?

Poor Law Guardians served the town or parish and stuck their noses in, lol, mostly where they WERE wanted but often where they weren't.

They would be responsible for visiting the poor who claimed poor relief and checking up on what they did and didn't have as assets.

They arranged admissions to the Workhouse - you had to get a ticket of admission which entailed an interview to make sure you weren't just fancying a free holiday in the workhouse.

They arranged adoptions and fosterings of babies and children who were either in the Workhouse, or who came to their attention through gossip or other means.

So yes, ideally placed to arrange an adoption (informal then of course, although some paperwork was completed). If they were unscrupulous enough, they were also ideally placed to "encourage" some young woman to give up her illegitimate baby by possibly withholding any help. However, most were decent men who did their job properly, so perhaps that's not a fair remark to make.

OC
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