East & West Orchard

Overseers of the Poor Records 1738-1886

The indexes that follow are of documents held at the Dorset History Centre which relate to residents of East & West Orchard

Each document is identified by a DHC reference number which is made up of a letter code, identifying the parish, followed by further alpha-numeric characters which signify the type of document and storage location

 

Settlement Papers
The Law of Settlement Act of 1662 aimed to make each parish responsible only for its own poor and to restrict paupers to their parish of settlement.  When paupers were discovered by a parish not thought to be theirs, they were examined by local officials to find out which parish was legally responsible for them.  If they did not belong to that parish an order was issued for removal to their place of settlement.
 
Settlement Certificates
 
East Orchard
Place of settlement: East Orchard
Date grantedDescription Reference
18 May 1768Joseph Mitchell, blacksmith PE/BF/OV5/1/88
17 Sep 1801Isaac Still of Hartgrove, labourer PE/FOM/OV3/39
13 Apr 1802Virtue Hunt, singlewoman PE/FOM/OV3/40
 
West Orchard
Date grantedDescription Reference
6 Jun 1752John Duvell, Mary his wife with William, Mary and PE/WOR/OV2/1/1
 John, their children, settled in Child Okeford  
28 Dec 1886Robert Pike, settled in Cranborne PE/WOR/OV2/1/2
 
 
Settlement Examinations
 
East Orchard
DateDescription Reference
8 Oct 1842Copy of Settlement Examination of George James, PE/PIM/OV2/2/34
 annexed to order of removal and suspension of removal  
 of George James, Mary his wife and Betsey, Edmund,  
 William, Amelia, Emma and Mary Ann their children to  
 East Orchard  
 
West Orchard
Place of settlement: West Orchard.
Date of ExaminationDescription Reference
 
27 Jan 1780Thomas Sauyer, labourer PE/WOR/OV2/2/1
27 Apr 1789Thomas Coombes, labourer PE/WOR/OV2/2/2
13 Sep 1797William Kimber, labourer PE/WOR/OV2/2/3
13 Sep 1797Benjamin Roberts, butcher PE/WOR/OV2/2/4
13 Sep 1797James Wareham, sawyer PE/WOR/OV2/2/5
13 Sep 1797Robert Choppett alias Sansome, labourer PE/WOR/OV2/2/6
31 May 1798Edward Beale, blacksmith PE/WOR/OV2/2/7
19 Jul 1798Charlotte Hunt, singlewoman PE/WOR/OV2/2/8
17 Jul 1800William Still, now residing in Whichbury, Wilts PE/WOR/OV2/2/9
3 Mar 1801John Toomer, yeoman PE/WOR/OV2/2/10
27 Apr 1801John Still, labourer, now residing in Cranborne PE/WOR/OV2/2/11
7 Dec 1802James Pike, mariner PE/WOR/OV2/2/12
7 Dec 1802Robert Downe, cooper PE/WOR/OV2/2/13
 
Removal papers
 
Removal Orders from East Orchard
DateDescription Reference
21 Jun 1819William Kendell and Elizabeth, his wife, to Stour Provost PE/SPV/OV4/4/24
11 Nov 1806Virtue Hunt, singlewoman, to West Orchard PE/WOR/OV2/4/4
 
Removal Orders from West Orchard
Date of OrderDescription Reference
14 Feb 1738/9Richard Savory, weaver, to Hammoon PE/WOR/OV2/3/1
15 Sep 1786Jane Coombs, singlewoman, to Stour Provost PE/WOR/OV2/3/2
27 Apr 1789Thomas Coombs and his children Sarah, Jane and Susannah, PE/WOR/OV2/3/3
 to Iwerne Courtney  
18 Mar 1823William Lush, labourer, and his wife Charlotte and children PE/WOR/OV2/3/4
 Elizabeth and Ann, to Henstridge, Somerset  
4 May 1830Mary Ann Moore, singlewoman with a child, to East Orchard PE/WOR/OV2/3/5
11 Oct 1830Sarah Perrett, widow, to Stour Provost PE/WOR/OV2/3/6
 
Removal Orders to East Orchard
Date of OrderDescription Reference
8 Nov 1817Mary Snook, aged about 33, widow, and her 3 children PE/TFD/5/6/3/16
 Christian aged 13, George aged 12 and Rachel aged 9, from  
 Thornford to East Orchard  
22 Apr 1758Joseph Mitchell and Ann his wife, from Blandford Forum PE/BF/OV5/2/97
 to East Orchard  
10 Oct 1842George James, Mary his wife and their 6 children from PE/PIM/OV2/5/9
 Pimperne to East Orchard  
4 May 1830Mary Ann Moore, singlewoman with a child, from West PE/WOR/OV2/3/5
 Orchard to East Orchard  
 
Removal Orders to West Orchard
Date of OrderDescription Reference
24 Jan 1739Thomas Savory, labourer, with his wife Mary and children PE/WOR/OV2/4/1
 Thomas, Anne and Mary, from Okeford Fitzpaine  
28 Aug 1800George Easton, labourer, from Fontmell Magna PE/WOR/OV2/4/2
5 Sep 1800Ann Sleet, wife of William, and their children Ann and PE/WOR/OV2/4/3
 Elizabeth, from Cranborne  
11 Nov 1806Virtue Hunt, singlewoman, from East Orchard PE/WOR/OV2/4/4
18 Feb 1822Patience Francis, singlewoman, from Marnhull PE/WOR/OV2/4/5
 
Bastardy Papers
Many illegitimate children and their mothers ended up dependent on parish relief. The overseers would try to force the mother to name the father of the child via a bastardy examination. Once a father was named, a bastardy order was issued against him, making him legally responsible for costs.
 
Bastardy Orders
In the list below, the first named is the person against whom the order of maintenance is being made and the second named is the mother of the bastard child.
East Orchard
Date of OrderDescription Reference
9 Apr 1805Order requiring James Pike, labourer, to pay maintenance PE/FOM/OV9222
 for his bastard child by Mary Lawrence  
 
West Orchard
Date of OrderDescription Reference
5 July 1798Order requiring Joseph Robert, labourer, to pay maintenance  
 For his bastard child by Charlotte Hunt PE/WOR/OV4/1/1
4 Mar 1806James Fifett, yeoman for Hannah Stile PE/WOR/OV4/1/2
30 Jul 1808Daniel Mitchell, yeoman for Mary Ann Young PE/WOR/OV4/1/3
25 Feb 1812George Perrett, thatcher for Elizabeth Yetman PE/WOR/OV4/1/4
27 Jan 1814Noah Hutchins, labourer for Priscilla Lemon PE/WOR/OV4/1/5
2 Apr 1816Thomas Collins, cordwainer for Sarah Lemon PE/WOR/OV4/1/6
28 May 1822James Hunt, yeoman for Patience Francis PE/WOR/OV4/1/7
26 Jun 1832William Plowman, labourer for Sarah Lemon PE/WOR/OV4/1/8
9 Sep 1805James Pike of East Orchard, labourer for Mary Lawrence, PE/FOM/OV9/2/22
 singlewoman  
18 Jul 1811John Meatyard, yeoman for Martha Pike PE/FOM/0V/9/2/28
17 Sep 1782John Drew, shoemaker for Elizabeth Meatyard PE/SPV/OV6/1/2
 
 
Bastardy Bonds
In the list below, the first named person(s) is/are undertaking to indemnify the parish for the maintenance of an illegitimate child; the second named is the child’s mother. It was not always the child’s father who entered into the bond; churchwardens, overseers, friends or other benefactors might have undertaken the responsibility.
 
 
 
East Orchard
Date of bondDescription Reference
6 Dec 1777Bastardy Bond entered into by George Easton of PE/FOM/OV9/1/10
 Hartgrove, yeoman, to indemnity the parish against the  
 costs of supporting the illegitimate child of Elizabeth Pike,  
 singlewoman  
 
West Orchard
Date of bondDescription Reference
4 Dec 1760Robert Small the Younger and Robert Small the Elder; PE/WOR/OV4/2/1
 Elizabeth Rabbitts  
28 Jul 1781Robert Castleman, yeoman; Elizabeth Ga….. PE/WOR/OV4/2/2
25 Apr 1782Henry Mowlain, yyeoman; Mary Wort PE/WOR/OV4/2/3
20 Feb 1790James Mitchell, yeoman; Priscilla Roberts PE/WOR/OV4/2/4
 
Bastardy Examination
 
East Orchard
DateDescription Reference
19 Jun 1775Nanny Rose, singlewoman; John Cave, labourer, the PE/ROM/OV9/3/3
 Reputed father  
 
West Orchard
DateDescription Reference
22 Jul 1782Elizabeth Meatyard, singlewoman; John Drew the reputed PE/SPV/OV6/3/4
 father  
 
Apprenticeship Indentures
 
West Orchard
DateDescription Reference
27 Jan 1818Jane Still to John Phillips, tailor, of Stour Provost PE/WOR/OV3/1/1
 
 
Summons
 
West Orchard
DateDescription Reference
28 Jan 1816Court summons to George Perrett to appear at the next PE/WOR/OV4/3/1
 Quarter sessions for refusing to obey a maintenance order for  
 Bastard child of Elizabeth Yetman  
1 Mar 1814Court summons to George Perrett to appear at the next PE/WOR/OV4/3/2
 Quarter sessions for refusing to obey a maintenance order for  
 Bastard child of Elizabeth Yetman  
 
 
Appointment of Overseers
DateDescription Reference
5 Apr 1793Warrant for the appointment of Richard Andrews PE/WOR/OV7/1
 and John Burt as Overseers  
 

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