Examination by Justice of Peace - Why?

[Charles Rignall]

I have the record of an examination of Henry Lupton. dated 1764, carried out by a Justice of the Peace in Padstow. It says what his occupation is (soldier in 14th Regt. of Foot), where he was born (Grimsthorpe, Lincs) , and mentions that he spent five years as a servant in West Deeping.

Why would he have to have been examined? There is no charge of any kind. Is it a residence permit kind of thing?

Charles Rignall

[Pam Downes]

Hi Charles,
The first thing I thought of was a that it's a settlement examination, all to do with someone's right of legal settlement in a place in ye olde days. (aka residence permit thingy. :) )
There are some very good links regarding the Poor Laws and associated douments on the Genuki Lincolnshire (http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LIN/#Poorhouses) site, and in the 'Settlement Certificates' section it does say 'then an examination would be made by the justices'.
Note that a Settlement examination paper is not the same as a Settlement certificate, so the county archives might have further documents you can search for.
Pam

[MarkJ]

Looks like Henry and family appear a couple of times in the records ;)

24 September 1774
Examination of Ann Lupton

That one states she is the wife of Henry Lupton, rogue and vagabond! It also lists two children, Mary aged 7 and Ann aged 6.

There is also a removal order for Ann and children from West Deeping which appears to follow the examination.

Mark

[Charles Rignall]

Hi -

Yes, I have the examination of 1774 and I have the removal order (written on the same day in 1774) and I think it says that Ann and her two children were apprehended as rogues and vagabonds (videlicit, whatever that means) for wandering and begging - homeless, in other words. I can understand that.

Henry seems to have disappeared. Ann thinks he is back in West Deeping, where he came from. And now she is supposedly being sent there by the Parish of Padstow so they don't have to pay poor relief. I can understand that.

If Henry were still with the 14th Regiment of foot in 1774, he would have been off in the Bahamas getting ready to fight in the Revolution. So was the certificate of examination of Henry in 1764 on the occasion of his leaving the regiment? That's why I think he may have had to prove (or at least assert) his bona fides.

Whether or not she was right and Henry WAS in West Deeping is another question. Also whether or not she and the two children actually got there.

I know it sounds like a made for TV movie, but these people were all terribly fraught.

Charlie