Poor Law Official - Eccleshall Guardians

In 1901, Joseph Rathbone is a "Poor Law Official and Bootmaker"

A newspaper article written for his Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1932 says of him:-
"He retired in July 1925 from the port of charge band
with the now defunct Eccleshall Guardians"

(They were Eccleshall Bierlow people)

What would his job have entailed?

And is it feasible that he could have arranged for his sister to "adopt" a baby in 1919?

Thank you for any ideas

Joan