The office of Overseer was established by the Poor Law Act 1597/8 and made compulsory by the Poor Relief Act 1601. It superseded the less formal office of Collector of the Poor. At least 2 persons were appointed yearly by each vestry, subject to the approval of the Justices of the Peace, to levy a poor rate and supervise its distribution. They were unpaid and selected from among the parishioners.
Most of their duties were transferred to the Guardians of the Poor in 1834, leaving the Overseers with the duty of assessing and collecting the rate, although the legislation enabled the parish to appoint paid collectors under the control of the Overseers. The office was abolished by the Rating and Valuation Act 1925.
The Overseer was required to keep and accounts and present them at each meeting of the vestry in order that the latter could keep strict control on the money that was being spent. The following is an example of the accounts kept by the Constable and also the Overseer for Stapleford Tawney in 1745.
A paper book bound in vellum, 16 inches by 6, and 2 inches thick – ‘This book was bought by John Harris, in the year 1746, for the use of the parish of Stapleford Tawney,’ – is written on the first page.
Thomas Franks Constable of Stapleford Tawney for ye Year 1745. His disbursement for the year £1. 15s 6d, including ‘a return to Epping 1s 6d or to Ongar 2s 6d.’ Another item ‘for searching for Arms, 2s.’
John Harris Churchwarden for ye year 1745.
His disbursement.
£ s d
April ye 30
At ye vey (vestry) 0 5 0
Paid to ye Parater 0 1 0
For my joney 0 3 6
For ye Brad and ye Wine 0 3 7
July ye 13
At ye Insitaison 0 3 0
October ey 12
The Prockelemaison 0 2 6
(? Of Charles Edward the Pretender)
Releved 5 Slaves 0 2 6
Releved a woman and 2 children 0 0 6
Releved three Pore Man 0 1 0
A Bitch Fox 6 8
A Bock (Badger) 8 2
Paid the Church Clark wife for Washing ye Sirplis and Clening ye Church and Oyle for ye Bels 0 9 6
Note that one shilling to the Apparite for Citing to the Visitation at Rumford Aprl. 18, 1746 is charged above.
1745 Overseer’s Account.
April 21
Releved the widow Taylor for 50 weaks at 2s p. week.
A Louder (allowed her) for a nus to nus her one weak 0 2 0
A Louder Saben for his Grand Dafter
2s a weak for 4 weaks 0 8 0
Paid widow Read for Bread and Bear 0 1 6
Releved Him 0 1 6
Paid Widow Read for cleaning of him 0 1 10
For My Going to Epping 0 1 0
1746
Paid Donford for 7 weaks Board 1 8 0
For a shurt to Oyntgin (Anointing?) 0 2 0
For a Sheat and things to Lay him in 0 6 0
James Pavley for Dressing of Him 0 5 0
For a New Pear of Sheus and nailing 0 5 2
Paid Wm. Felested for his Oath for his
Setiffiket 0 1 6
June 19
For County Bridge Money 1 4 2
For ye Warrant 0 1 6
(Both of the above occur for several years)
For 8 Badges (? Badgers) 0 2 8
Ann turner for 5 Els of Clorth 0 4 7
A form of prayer &c 0 3 0
Church Clark 0 10 6
A Coffin for Ednd. Bowles 0 10 0
Affidavit &c 0 1 0
Wool 0 1 0
The principal expenses of the Constable for this year 1746 are:
A warrant to Epping 1s., the same to Ongar 2s. and to Harlow 3s 6d.
Pd ye Chief Constable for returning ye free holders list 2s.0d.
For a paper put on ye Church Door for Cattle 2s.0d.
The two Surveyors’ account for the same year shows an outlay of £2.15s. including:-
£
s
d
For sharping of ye petchexes
2
0
For six helves for ye Peetchexes
2
0
And a receipt of a guinea from the Revrant Mr. Lloyd
1749
March 19
A buttock of beef
7
7
A Gallon of Rum
8
6
2 pound of Sugar
1
6
Oranges and Lemmons
8
A half-peck Loaf
10
1749
John Grailin The Oversear of the Poar of Stabelfoot Tauney
March 31
Paid for my Instrucksions [this is an annual charge]
4
0
Paid to Mr. King
2
6
Paid for baco and pipes, buter and greens
2
6
April 2
A weaks pay for the Poare
5
6
Bought 2 shifts for prity Jane
5
0
Bought a pear of Stockins
1
2
May 22
Paid for Nursing of William Drache of the Small Pox
4
2
0
Novbr 15
Paid for things at the Vestry Rum and Leamons
4
10
1750
February 6
Paid for Janey Pretty a near pen [new apron ?] and clogs
6
6
1759
Paid Felstead for nealing [heating] the oven
1
6
1760
August ye 1
For a Coffen and Shroud for Mary Baker
12
3
Ditto for Bear and Bread and Cheas
4
0
Ditton for payen ye feas and oth
1762
Nov 7
Paid Mrs Forlong for laing the widow Cumberford.
5
0
1763
June 25
Paid for a Cooffin
2
0
1764
Bought James Cumd. A hat
1
4
Shurts
5
0
A paer of britches
2
0
A paer of Stockons
1
0
1764
Aug ye 18
For Cloose for Threaders Daughter
For a Coate
5
0
A paer of Stays
3
3
For Aprons
2
0
For a Coate
2
3
For a Stomicheher
1
0
1765
Paid Mr Palmer for A new Comongate and Postes
1
16
4
1766
Paid for the widow Sitchs affidavit
1
0
July 11
Paid towards the Goal
9
13
4
1775
June 4
Gave Dame Crab for Nusen of Edwd. Boreham wife of ye smolpox
6
0
June 11
A weaks pay
6
0
Gave Black Jack
5
0
1776
For a cart and hors carrin May Pain to Walthoms and home to Latten with a Norder
17
0
1776
Thomas Glasscock overseer for the parish of Stapleford Tawney. Disbursements
April 19
Bought a paier of Shows for Harsnetts Gil at Mrs Woods
3
0
Gave Wider Hills for Nussin Mary Stils
5
0
Gave the Wider Wood by meens of her compaing to me for more weekly collection
2
6
September 6
To a Jorney attending at Epping Place.
2
6
1778
Aug. 4
paid for presentments
7
0
paid for a prayer
2
0
Boarham journey to Rumford
3
6
Several bills for divers years for repairs to Tawney Church house.
1784
Mr. Glasscock was paid for highway work
1785
Paid for a spinning Wheal for young Pewter
4
0
1788
Paid for a Spinning Wheel for the widow Burrell
3
6
1788
To a Bill for taking, keeping and carrying away John Ferrant to Haverhill in Suffolk the sum of
9
0
0
Paid for a Buttock of Beef for the Vestry
11
8
Relieved four Widers with their families with passes.
2
0
1789
For ye Afad a vey for Nightingale wife.
1
6
For Laieig of hur Ought
1
0
Pade for Nusen
1
8
0
The book ends with the year’s accounts for 1794. Boarham, Threader, Nightingale, Crabb, Freshwater are names frequently mentioned, and although variously spelt by different overseers during the period covered by these accounts, are still well known in this and adjoining parishes at the present time.
C. B. SWORDER, Epping
This article was taken from the Essex Review Volume 20 [1911]
Daughter is spelt dafter by most of the officials all through the book.
The Burials in Woollen Act was passed in 1665; the Act of 1677 was repealed in 1814.
Buried on the 13 July.
The oath prescribed under the Burials in Woollen Act.
Burial Register shows an Edmund Cumberford was buried on the 20th June 1762.
This expenditure was probably for a gate and posts to prevent cattle straying from a part of the parish still called Tawney Common, which has been enclosed within the memory of some of the old inhabitants.
Epping Place was at this time the principal posting hotel in Epping.
The burial register shows Mary Nightingale buried on the 15th December. Described as a Pauper.