A cast-iron city boundary marker from 1869. It marks the Parish of Standard Hill and can be found by the entrance to Nottingham Castle
Shows the names of the Overseers.
Google tells me that each overseer was in charge of distributing in-home relief to deserving poor residents in his ward. The Overseers patrolled their wards to identify which residents would be sent to the almshouse, or workhouse and to remove children from homes that were not beneficial for the child's health, safety and well being.
Overseers of the poor were often reluctant appointees who were unpaid, working under the supervision of a justice of the peace. The law required two overseers to be elected every Easter, and churchwardens or landowners were often selected.
So now you know ! One hopes they were good people rather than bureaucrats.
Great info Phil , and an amazing boundary marker from all those years ago . I would not have known what it was ! 365 is amazing at educating us on all sorts of things !
That is very interesting. Overseers sound like (unpaid) forerunners of Social Services. I suspect that, given the century in which they worked, their judgements had to be very harsh at times, who would want to end up in a workhouse? Terrible places.
Given that not being paid for their pains wouldn't be popular, I wonder if the nature of the work made the overseers reluctant as well? Or perhaps they didn't like to be so forcefully reminded of the plight of the poor: no opportunity for 'out of sight, out of mind' for overseers!
An important piece of social history, and judging by how well it's looked after, recognised as such too. Good to see.
Well taken and made image, Phil, (the depth and textures are great) and a fascinating narrative to accompany it.
Given that not being paid for their pains wouldn't be popular, I wonder if the nature of the work made the overseers reluctant as well? Or perhaps they didn't like to be so forcefully reminded of the plight of the poor: no opportunity for 'out of sight, out of mind' for overseers!
An important piece of social history, and judging by how well it's looked after, recognised as such too. Good to see.
Well taken and made image, Phil, (the depth and textures are great) and a fascinating narrative to accompany it.