Fanny Stables – Application for Poor Relief

Doncaster archive services hold information about an application for poor relief made by Fanny Stables of Darfield, single woman aged 50, in May 1828 (This is Frances Stables, b.1778 Barnburgh, daughter of William & Sara).

From the Poor Law act of 1601 to the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 (implemented in the Doncaster area in 1837), the parish or township was responsible for poor relief.

This entailed each parish, or in the North of England, each township, providing for the sick, infirm, elderly, orphaned and any adults who were unable to provide for themselves. Most parishes had very small populations (less than a thousand), and the management of the poor, like other local functions, was the responsibility of residents who took it in turns for a year to carry out the various duties that fell on the parish. Only in large, urban parishes was it possible, and necessary, to appoint paid officials.

Relief could be granted as 'out relief', that is relief in cash or kind to the poor in their own homes. Alternatively, the parish could decide on 'in-door relief', where it provided a workhouse and gave relief only to those willing to enter it. Often, however, parishes used both methods at the same time, or alternated between the two.

This is a transcription of her entry.

This is a photograph of her actual entry in the Parish Vestry dated Friday May 30^th, 1828: