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  1. #1
    Blain
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    Default Local Assistant Overseer of the Poor

    I have a relative who on the 1901 Census was listed with the above Occupation.

    Any ideas what it is?

  2. #2
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    He was employed by the workhouse.

  3. #3
    Blain
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    Can you be more specific?

  4. #4
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    Can you be more precise? What parish? What Union?

    Actually "employed by the workhouse" may be misleading. Overseer of the Poor is an old term established under the old poor law which was a parish post involving chasing up rate payers and policing the poor. Duties changed under the new poor law - they still had to chase tardy rate payers but acted more as go-betweens between the poor and the union, I believe.

    Your ancestor's appointment should be shown in the records of the relevant union. Those records which have survived should be in the county records office.

    If any of the above jargon is unfamiliar to you, you may wish to read :-
    https://users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/index.html

  5. #5
    Blain
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    He was living in Lofthouse Gate, Wakefield, so I assume he would have worked at the Wrenthorpe Workhouse.

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