The Poor Law Unions of Hertfordshire

Bishops Stortford Union

The Bishops Stortford Poor Law Union comprises the parishes in Hertfordshire and Essex of Albury, Berden, Birchhanger, Bishop's Stortford, Braughing, Brent Pelham, Elsenham, Farnham, Furneaux Pelham, Great or Much Hadham, Little Hadham, Great Hallingbury, Little Hallingbury, Hensham, Manuden, Sawbridgeworth, Stanstead Mountfitchet, Stocking Pelham, Thorley and Ugley.

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Records of the Bishop's Stortford Poor Law Union, covering parts of Hertfordshire and Essex, between 1834- 1852, can be searched online on the National Archives.

A quick check produced the following items (original images can be downloaded).

MH 12/4540/257  Folios 11-14. Letter from John D Taylor [John Dobede Taylor], Clerk to the Guardians of the Bishops Stortford Poor Law Union, to the Poor Law Commission forwarding returns of numbers of paupers and lunatics chargeable to the Bishops Stortford Poor Law Union dated 1 January 1847. Enclosed is a summary of the total number of lunatics and idiots chargeable to the parishes in the Bishops Stortford Poor Law Union on 1 January 1847. The summary provides information on the number of idiots and lunatics, where they are maintained, their ages, whether they are a danger to themselves, whether they are of dirty habits and the average weekly cost per head of their maintenance and clothing. A complete list of all lunatics and idiots chargeable to the parishes within the Bishops Stortford Poor Law Union, where they are maintained, their ages, whether they are a danger to themselves, whether they are of dirty habits and the average weekly cost per head of their maintenance and clothing and the length of time they are supposed to be of unsound mind. Those listed for Hertfordshire are as follows:

  •  George Baker, Braughing.

  • James Fletcher, Braughing.

  • James Long, Braughing.

  • George Hammond, Albury.

  • Martha Whybird, Albury.

  • Samuel Warwick, Much Hadham.

  • Allen Patmore, Much Hadham.

  • Martha Lincoln, Little Hadham.

  • Hester Bassell, Sawbridgeworth.

  • Susan Brown, Sawbridgeworth.

  • Mary Way, Furneux Pelham.

  • Emma Ellson, Brent Pelham.

  • Charles Rayment, Brent Pelham.

  • Rachael Lawrence, Brent Pelham.

  • Mary Bradford, Bishops Stortford.

  • Mary Newman, Bishops Stortford.

  • Mary Lilley, Bishops Stortford.

  • Samuel Jackson, Bishops Stortford.

  • Elizabeth Jackson, Bishops Stortford.

  • Ann Curtis, Bishops Stortford.

  • James Housdon, Thorley.

Those listed for Essex:

  • James Mascall, Farnham.

  • Emma Prior, Farnham.

  • John Parker, Farnham.

  • William Prior, Great Hallingbury.

  • Jesse Halls, Great Hallingbury.

  • George Eldrett, Great Hallingbury.

  • Charles Nash, Little Hallingbury.

  • Eliza Bush, Manuden.

  • Mary Watts, Manuden.

  • Susan Stone, Berden.

  • Ann Chapman, Berden.

  • Isaac Perry, Henham.

  • Alice Snow, Stansted.

  • Amelia Phillips, Stansted.

  • Sarah Matthews, Great Hallingbury.

Annotated: [William Golden Lumley, Assistant Secretary] Usual letter in Charles Nash's case. 3 February 1847. Paper Number: 2083/A/1847. Poor Law Union Number 167. Counties: Hertfordshire and Essex

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MH 12/4537/215: Folios 360-361. Extract of a letter from Mr Cavendish to Lord Howard. This states that he [unnamed] had walked from his parish to Broxbourne village where he visited the church. He passed the outer south door and looked over the top. To his horror he saw a wretched woman covered with a thin cloak and scanty apparel in a corner moaning piteously. The door was locked so he asked her through a hole what she was doing there. She replied that she had lived in Stoke Newington [Middlesex] and had earned her living by industry but had been ill and unable to work. She had been to her parish of Braughing in [Hertfordshire] hoping to get admission into the union house in the Bishops Stortford Poor Law Union, but [as] she had not through ignorance been passed from Stoke Newington, the overseer would not admit her claim or give her the slightest relief. She attempted to return to [Stoke Newington) to be passed but could only reach Broxbourne. She had slept under the yew in the churchyard on Saturday night. The church was opened and closed on Sunday. She wandered about hungry and cold until a poor old man helped her over the locked and spiked door to shelter. Cavendish found her on Monday morning unable to get out faint from hunger and disease and her pride let her to choose starvation rather than begging. At the parsonage the clergyman was not at home but his wife came to the rescue of the poor wretch and took her home. She assured me the case would be attended to. 

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MH 12/4537/215: Folio 402. Letter from Robert Hosking, Governor of the Pentonville Prison, to Lord Viscount Courtenay, Secretary to the Poor Law Board. Hoskins (Hosking) provides a character reference for Samuel Butler for his appointment as Porter at the Bishops Stortford Poor Law Union workhouse. Hoskins (Hosking) states that Butler performed his duties as Assistant Baker and Baker at the Pentonville Prison in a satisfactory manner. Butler is described as active, intelligent and industrious. Paper Number: 8047/1852. Poor Law Union Number 167. Counties: Hertfordshire and Essex.

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