Poor rate assessment (1586)

Post date: Jan 02, 2012 4:8:10 PM

The following is an edited transcription of a document held in the Kent archives (U49 O9/7). The parish was the administrative unit for the poor law from its inception in the sixteenth century. A fixed and obligatory assessment such as set out below was authorised by the Poor Law Act of 1572.

Of the 19 people listed 13 paid a monthly sum (although apparently based on a weekly amount) totaling 9s and 8d each month, and 6 who contributed less (totaling 2s and 11d a quarter) paid quarterly. Of the 13 paying monthly 10 had been present when the assessment was agreed: significantly the 10 did not include George Delahaie, the owner of Wateringbury Place, whose assessment was the highest or Tymothie Gates who is recorded as making only 3 of the 9 monthly payments due between September 1586 and mid-summer 1587.

Edward Greensted in his History of Wateringbury probably did not have access to this document but the record he was using describes a monthly cess of 10s. in this year (his record went back to the previous year 1585) not too far from the amount in this document. I am not able to explain the 'summa' of £4 8s. and 3d. quoted -it is in a different hand.

Thomas Moyse and Thomas Drew, described as the collectors, were the Churchwardens.

Roger Twysden (of Roydon Hall) and Thomas Fane (of Mereworth Park) were two local justices. Roger Twysden (1542-1603) was the son of Elizabeth Royden (1523-1595) and William Twysden (d. 1573); he had married in 1562 Anne Wyatt, daughter of Sir Thomas Wyatt of Allington Castle (who was executed for leading Wyatt's rebellion against Queen Mary).

Wateringbury Anno Domini 1586

A collection for the poor made the 29th day of September the year aforesaid until Mid-summer next coming

Summa of the reseyts is £4 8s. 3d.

Thomas Moyse ) Collectors Rog. Twysden

Thomas Drewe ) Thomas Fane

Present at the assesment making:

Wylliem Cod, Thomas Coveney, Richard Barham, Anthonie Underwood, William Underwood, John Hopper, William Boothe, Thomas Ellis, James Underwood and William Shipman.

For other snippets on the treatment of Wateringbury 's poor see Wateringbury in debt; Wateringbury pays its own to go west and Doctor for Wateringbury poor.