The Origins Network has just made available a series on the City of London Poor Law Records. For anyone who is researching their London genealogy, this is a resource that you should not miss. Poor law records are underused by many genealogists, yet they contain extremely valuable biographical information that you will not find elsewhere.
The most useful records are settlement examinations. The Settlement Act of 1662 placed restrictions on who was able to claim relief. This protected parishes from having to provide poor relief to people who did not have adequate links to the parish. Families wanting to move to a particular parish had to be examined by parish officials before they could legally settle there. If they were not thought suitable, they could be forcibly removed.
If you think your ancestors might have applied for poor relief, you can search the settlement records, and if you are lucky, you may find information like this:
Elizabeth Joseph (33) of 18 Petticoat Lane married her late husband Lewis Joseph 4 Jun 1850 at Great Synagogue and has 5 children Rachel Joseph (12), Emanuel Joseph (11), Sarah Joseph (9), Ann Joseph (7) and Joseph Joseph (2 ½); about 1852 husband took 35 Petticoat Lane at £8 15s per quarter and stayed 2-3 years and at same time 50 Petticoat Lane at £1 p.w. and husband occupied shop and bakehouse at 35 and let rest out; husband died Christmas 1860. 15 Jun 1863. (Copied from the Origins Network Website)
You can find settlement records in County Record Offices all over the country, but if your ancestors were in London, it is certainly worth checking the indexes at The Origins Network
The first two sets available cover the parishes of St Botolph Aldgate and St Sepulchre, and contain over 20,000 names. Keep checking back as they will be regularly adding to this series.
To get access to the poor law records series if you are searching London genealogy, go to this link: The Origins Network and subscribe for membership (you can join for 3 days only for a small fee, or pay monthly or yearly). You will then be able to navigate to the British Origins pages and then to the Poor Law collection.
Ros Bott
