|
|
|
News and Notices
Workhouse Records 1783 - 1874
The Workhouse Records for the Parish of Helmsley, dating between 1783 and 1874, have recently been discovered in an attic room of Canon's Garth. They comprise a single vellum volume, with entries made from both ends - one the Agreements, Rules and Regulations, and the other the Finances and Payments made to individuals.
These make interesting reading, and are a fascinating insight into the time. The Records are a valuable genealogical resource, and are being scanned by the Ryedale Family History Group with the view of making them more widely available (they already have many Helmsley-related articles - see here).
To whet your appetite, a scan of the first page and a transcript of the Rules are shown below:
Rules
1. That all, and
every Poor person or persons, that may or shall be put into the Work-house,
shall be Obedient to the Master and Mistrefs of the House, in all and
every thing Lawful and Expedient, and all and every such person or persons
disobeying such Lawful Commands, shall be liable to One Day's Confinement,
or other Punishment, at the discretion of the Committee.
2. From Lady Day until Michaelmas, each and every Poor person according
to their abilities, shall Work from Six o'Clock in the Morning, until
Seven in the Evening; and from Michaelmas, until Lady Day from Seven
in the Morning until Seven in the Evening; and for the better encouraging
of Industry, each and every Poor person shall out of every Shilling
they shall Earn, be allowed at the least Two-pence for their own Use.
3. All and every Poor person, whose bodily Strength will permit shall
attend Divine Service twice every Lord's Day, and Family Prayers every
Evening at Sev'n oClock, to be made by the Master of the House, or some
other Person by him appointed, and whoever shall be absent, without
a lawful Cause, shall be punished as the Committee shall direct.
4. If any of the Poor are, or shall at any time be Sick, or Lame so
as to require the Advice, and Assistance of an Apothecary, or Surgeon;
they shall be attended on, and provided for, according to the Direction
of such Apothecary, or Surgeon, as shall or may be appointed.
5. None of the Poor shall at any time go out of the Yard belonging to
the Work-house, without leave of the Master or Mistrefs, nor shall they
or any of them haunt or frequent any Ale-House, Gin-shop etc. under
pain of punishment as the Committee shall direct.
6. If any of the Poor, shall at any time abuse or waste the Victuals
for them provided, or shall be guilty of Cursing, Swearing, Obscene
talking, or using Scurrilous or abusive Language, they shall be punished
as the Committee shall direct.
7. Any Poor Child or Children, that may or shall at any time be in the
Work-house, shall as soon as they are of proper Age, be Properly taught
and Instructed in Reading, Writing, Knitting, and Sewing, by some proper
Person or Persons, appointed for that purpose.
8. When any Child in the Work-house is fit to put out Apprenticed, such
Child shall go out Decently Clothed by the Master of the Work-house.
9. Any Complaint that may or shall at any time be made by the Master
of the Workhouse against any of the Poor, that may or shall from
time to time, or at any time be committed to his Care, or by any
such Poor person or persons, against the Master, or Mistress of the
Work-house; which may be of such a Nature and consequence, as the Two
or more Committee Men acting at that time, do not think proper to redrefs;
they shall afsemble and call together, the whole Committee, with the
Church-Wardens and Overseers of the Poor, for the time being; who after
deliberately hearing, and examining both parties, and all and every
person therein concerned, shall Decide the Matter.
10. That none may plead Ignorant of these Rules, a Copy of them shall
be put up in a Publick place in the Work-house, and shall be read over,
at the going in of any and every Adult person, and on the last Friday-Evening,
in each and every succeeding Month, by One of the Church-Wardens, Overseers
of the Poor, or Committee Men, for the time being, or by any other person
at their request.
And for the Binding of all, each and every Party concerned in this Agreement, and all, every and each of their Deputys and Succefsors for the time being; to the just Observation and true fulfilment and performance of all and every thing therein Exprefsed, Contained, and Intended, the aforesaid William Fletcher for the due performance of his part; and the Church-Wardens, and Overseers of the Poor, and other Inhabitants of, and for and in behalf of the aforesaid Parish of Helmsley (including Carlton, and the Moorhouses), the Township of Pockley, with Beadlam and Sproxton on their part; have hereunto, in the presence of each other, set and subscribed their Names or Marks.
N.B. The Master of the Work-house is to be Charged with any School or Doctors Bills; such Bills, or Debts, must be paid by the Overseers of the Parish, or Parishes, for whose Poor such Debts were Contracted.
Church Wardens for Helmsley |
 |
Overseers for Helmsley |
 |
Church Warden for Pockley with Beadlam and Sproxton |
 |
| Overseer
for Pockley Overseer for Beadlam Overseer for Sproxton |
|
Inhabitants of Helmsley |
 |
Inhabitants of Sproxton |
 |
N.B. and the said Wm. Fletcher doth agree to give notice to the Inhabitants of the Town of Helmsley at Michaelmas in Each succeeding Year provided he wishes to be realised (sic) of this Contract inspecting Maintenance of the Poor as aforesaid and the Inhabitants doth agree to do the same on their part.
We, Two of the Justices of the Peace acting for the North Riding of the County of York dwelling near to the within mentioned Parish of Helmsley (including Carlton & the Moorhouses), & the Townships of Pockley, Beadlam & Sproxton do consent unto, allow and approve the within written Contract.
- Given under our hands and seals the first Day of June 1784 -
Records rediscovered in Canons Garth by Jen Harris; scanned and transcribed
by Paul Harris
|
What's coming up and what's been happening
|
To read these, you will need Adobe Acrobat, which can be downloaded from here
David Wilbourne's Consecration as Assistant Bishop
of Llandaff
David's consecration as Assistant Bishop
of Llandaff took place in Llandaff Cathedral (in Cardiff) on Saturday
4 April. The new Bishop of St Asaph was also consecrated, and Archbishop
Rowan Williams preached.
For more information, pictures and reports of the Consecration, click here.
Also see the BBC website for "In pictures: Bishops consecrated" and "New bishops in joint consecration". A video of the Consecration can be seen here.
We are a "Fairtrade church"
The Fairtrade Foundation asks for a commitment to:
- use Fairtrade tea and coffee after services and for all meetings for which we have responsibility
- move forward on using other Fairtrade products (such as sugar, chocolate, biscuits and fruit)
- promoting Fairtrade during Fairtrade Fortnight and during the year through events, worship and other activities whenever possible
We at All Saints Helmsley have been meeting these requirements for about ten years and now we have the certificate to acknowledge the fact and the backing of the Fairtrade Foundation.
They say,
"Church congregations continue to be invaluable Fairtrade supporters and campaigners. We hope that your members will enjoy Fairtrade products regularly and also tell their friends and family about them. We now have over 3500 Fairtrade products licensed and 392 producer groups worldwide, from Sri Lanka to Ghana to Bolivia to Egypt, who are benefiting from selling to the UK Fairtrade market."
Find out more by visiting www.fairtrade.org.uk
"The
fields of the poor may produce
abundant
food but injustice
sweeps
it away."
Proverbs 13.23