Workhouse Yard, Bozeat. Workhouse is believed to be the house on he left as far as the down pipe.

At a Vestry of the Inhabitants of Bozeat in the County of Northampton held at the Parish Church on Thursday the 8th of June, 1826,

In the Chair The Rev. C. W. Willson. It was then and there agreed to establish a Workhouse for the Reception of Paupers.

It was further agreed that from this time any Pauper applying to the Overseer for Relief, that immediately after relieving of the Pauper, the Overseer will take an account of all goods or any other Property belonging to the said Pauper, and that all such goods be marked for the indemnity of the Parish.

At a Vestry of the Inhabitants of Bozeat in the County of Northampton held at the Parish Church on Monday, June 12th, 1826.

In the Chair Rev. W. C. Wilson.

It was then and there agreed that each and every Landholder or occupier of Land in the Parish of Bozeat aforesaid should employ a certain number of Labourers as constant men on each and every Respective Farm in the said Parish according to the following Rules.

Rules:

1^st—Every occupier of Land to the amount Fifty Pound per Annum shall employ one Labourer as a Constant man and so on as one man to each Fifty Pounds rate, which said Constant Labourers shall be wholly paid by their employers.   

2^nd—Every occupier of Land in the said Parish to the amount of £50 per annum who employs one constant Labourer shall be entitled to one other extra man for two weeks in the month (which will amount to half the number of constant men employed), which said extra man shall work the regular hours allotted for con­stant men, and that the said extra man shall receive sixpence per day from the Parish Book, and the remainder of the money to be paid by His employers.

3^rd—Every occupier of Land who does not employ the said number of constant Labourers viz. one man to a fifty Pound rate shall not be entitled to an extra man until he has made up his number of Constant Labourers.

4^th—All overplus men more than will find employ­ment upon the present scale shall be equally divided to every Landholder, viz. every Landholder who employs his stated number of constant Labourers, likewise his stated number of Rounds-men, shall be entitled to one or more men (in proportion to his Rate) to be employed upon the Land, which said man or men shall receive his or their weekly pay from the Parish Book the same as though they were employed at the Stone-pit, and that they receive over and above the stated sum shall be at the option of their employers in proportion to their Industry and Talents.

5^th—If in case there does not a sufficient quantity of men remain (after the aforesaid division) for every occupier of land to have his share in proportion to his Rate then they said overplus men shall go round to each Landholder which said Landholder shall employ the said men Two Days to each Fifty Pounds Rate and such men shall receive the same weekly pay from the Parish Book equivalent to what they received when employed at the Stone-Pit.

6^th—As in the Present case when men are so numerous each Landholder whose Rate does not amount exactly to Fifty Pounds, or in case the same Rate exceeds Fifty Pounds (as from Thirty to Fifty and from Eighty to Hundred), that said Landholder shall employ two constant men and shall be entitled to a greater share of Rounds men, and so on in proportion to a greater or Lesser Rate.

7^th—They overplus men that remain after such aforesaid divisions, shall be employed at the stone pit to get stone by the yard stack, or Yard of Ground, as the Overseer shall determine.

8^th—Any man employed in anyways as a Rounds man or otherwise employed in any of the aforesaid divisions who (when an opportunity presents) will not take work or go to be employed independent of the Parish, that said man shall be excluded all Parochial Relief or employment until he has shewed just cause to the Overseers and Parish officers for not performing the said work.

And it was further agreed that this division of Constant and Rounds men should continue in force until the beginning of Harvest. Signed by us this 12^th of June, 1826, Wm. Corbett Wilson, Junr., Thos. Houseman, George Goff, John Gough, Thos. Pell, Thos. Wykes.

It was likewise agreed that each and every monthly meeting should first be held at the Parish Church for a space of one Hour, where all complaints of Paupers or other Persons will heard and took account of, so as to be determined on without the interruption of any to make complaint at such place as the monthly meetings are accustomed to be held.

Then follows full list of Constant men (38), and Rounds men (21); 7 employed on the Roads; 21 at the Stone pit; and 2 employed on Earl Spencer’s account.

In the following year is this interesting item:

Whereas a notice was read in the Parish Church of Bozeat on Sunday the 14^th of a Vestry to be held on Tuesday the 23^rd day of October and a Vestry was held accordingly.

At which Vestry it was agreed......

The Men employed on the Road to keep their time as other Labourers, to come to the church at the time the Bell rings in the Morning and not go home again until the Bell rings at Twelve O’clock and then to come to the Church: and come to the Church at the time the Bell rings at One O’clock, and the Man that is five minutes behind time at the Bell ringing to lose half the Day’s pay.

There are some curious entries in the Parish Relief Book. I suppress the names of the recipi­ents, for in one or two instances there are residents now in Bozeat bearing the same names,

At a Vestry December 29th, 1826, It was then and there agreed: J.B. to be provided with Breeches. E.S. to have a flannel petticoat to be paid for by instalments of 3d. or 6d. per week. S.T.'s children to have some shoes and shifts.

Febuary 25th, 1827. J.L. to be forgave for a Misdemeanor in not attending to an order to un­load Brick Lime, by acknowledging himself in a fault.

March 20th, 1827. J.B. (the same as the previous J.B.) to have a Shirt and Smock frock.

March 25th, 1827. S.W. extra ill per week 1s. 0d. S.T.'s children to have 2 Shifts.

April 17th. E.D. to have some clothes, Gown and petticote. T.T. for losing a One Pound Note to repay the same by 1d. per week untill the same be repaid.

April 29th, 1827. George T. making applica­tion for the Parish to fetch home a load of wood: Refused. Henry T. making application for a Saw: Refused. Thomas R.'s Boys' 3d. per week to continue as usual. Robert B. made application for relief stating that he cannot earn at Lace Making more than 1s. 2d. per week. James D.’s Wife made application for relief for her daughter, stating Her to be ill with the ague: allowed 1s. per week.

Several applications from wives to pay for their husnand’s lodgings, 1s. per week.

Jonathon L. applying for 4s. per yard for Stone digging, who said he would engage to dig the sand stone at dog lane pit for 4s. per yard.

John D. of Northampton making application by letter signed by the Overseer of the Parish of St. Pulchers stating him to be dangerously ill of the smnallpox. To have per week 3s.

J H Marlow