Description:

On the 11^th January 1847 Samuel Price, a pauper of Longtown was examined before H J Wood and Francis Hamp, two Justices of the Peace of the County of Herefordshire.

He made and signed by his mark the following statement:
“I am thirty five years of age. In the latter end of the month of May or the beginning of the month of June in the year 1833 I hired myself as Wagoner to Mr Henry Morgan of the Township of Newton in the County of Herefordshire, farmer. to serve him till the 17^th May following, at six pounds wages. I entered upon my service and served him till the said 17^th of May and received my wages. I then hired myself again to him for a year as Wagoner at the yearly wage of eight pounds. I continued my said service till the said Master died, which was on the 5^th September 1834. I slept and resided during the whole of my service in the Township of Newton. I was unmarried during the said service and had no child. I received the whole of my wages. I married at the parish church of Saint Margarets to one Ann Price in March 1838 by whom I have three children namely James aged 8 years or thereabouts, Ann aged 4 years or thereabouts and Thomas aged 2 years or thereabouts who are with myself now chargeable to the said Township of Longtown. I am permanently disabled by having my left arm taken off. I have only been resident in the Township of Longtown for four years.”

An order was made out that day for the removal of Samuel Price, his wife Ann and their three children from Longtown to the Overseer of the township of Newton. He was delivered with his family to Edward Preece the Overseer of Newton on the !4^th February 1847.

The Register of Burials of St Johns Church, Newton, records that Ann Price aged 54 was buried on 4^th July 1884, Andrew Price aged 9 years buried 6^th July 1884, and Samuel Price aged 76 years buried 19^th August 1884 all of Lower Maescoed. The dates of their burials perhaps suggest that they all died of a common illness.

Observations:

This is an interesting example of the operation of the Poor Law in the mid 19^th century. Here the Removal Order was from one township to another within the same parish rather than, as was more usual, from one parish to another. Longtown and Newton were both Townships of the parish of Clodock. Lower Maescoed was an area divided by the boundary between the two townships. The majority of households being in Longtown part

It may be that the ‘Removal’ was the transfer of responsibility and cost of relief from one ‘Overseer’ to another without the actual physical movement of the family?

Henry Morgan farmed at Upper Green Farm, Newton.

The age given of Ann Price at her death in 1884 does not fit with her being the wife or daughter of Samuel. There may be an error here?