In the culmination of a decades long project over 73,700 names have been added to the searchable name indexes, part of the Somerset Archives online catalogue.
The indexes, compiled by volunteers over many years were stored on traditional index cards in the searchroom at the Somerset Heritage Centre. Over the past few years these cards have been typed up and checked and are now searchable online from anywhere in the world, dramatically increasing access to the archives.
The Settlement index
The Settlement index lists documents such as removal orders, settlement certificates and bastardy examinations, which were all used to ascertain which parish should support persons in need. Prior to the Workhouse system made infamous by Dicken’s novels each ecclesiastical parish were responsible for the care of their population and supported anyone in need. To make sure that the correct parish was responsible for this care, poorer members of the community were subject to examinations and removal orders to forcibly move them to the correct parish. In addition, mothers of illegitimate children were examined to ensure that the father helped to pay for this care through bastardy bonds and orders.
The Apprenticeship index lists the apprenticeship indentures for children of poorer parents, or illegitimate children, where their apprenticeship was arranged by parish officials. These apprenticeships were mainly in trades such as housewifery or husbandry, and children could be apprenticed from the age of 7.
Read more about the Parish Poor Law system in our research guide.
Captions (L to R) Poor Law Settlement Examination of Abraham Court at North Cadbury in February 1792. Abraham states that he was born in North Cadbury, was bound as an apprentice in Castle Cary before enlisting as a soldier (reference. DD/X/PR/3.26). Examination of Lucy Bennett of North Cadbury from 1811, stating that the father of her child if Mr Navailles, a Napoleonic French Prisoner of War at Wincanton (reference. DD/X/PR/3.43). Apprenticeship indenture of Joan Turner a ‘poor child of the parish of Langford Budville’, to be apprenticed to Edward Clarke of Chipley, in the profession of housewife, 1681 (reference. DD/SF/16/12/5)
New Church index available
A further new index available is to the Church or Ecclesiastical Court Deposition books for the Diocese of Bath and Wells for the period 1600s-1730s. The Church Courts dealt with allegations about the disrepair of churches, failure to attend church and improper conduct of services, as well as with the correction of moral offences. The courts also heard disputes between individuals relating to defamation, tithe payments, marriage, probate, and other ecclesiastical matters. The deposition books record the evidence of the witnesses called to testify at the trials, and the index lists the names of these witnesses, where they lived and the reasons for appearing at court.
Search the Indexes
The new indexes can be searched here part of the Somerset Archives online catalogue. Other indexes available include Wills and Probate records, First World War indexes compiled as part of the World War I Centenary, Workhouse admission registers, ordinations by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, Quarter Session order books and Land Tax records for Taunton Deane and Andersfield Hundreds.