Another day, another fascinating document... Today we found this 1801 parish assistance form pictured below:
Return by Persons unable by their own Industry to Maintain themselves and Families, without occaisional Assistance, in the Parish of ________ and the Presbytery of _____________
This pre-printed sheet was filled out by the minister of the parish as it was generally the church which took care of the poor, ill and destitute. Those needing assistance were listed with their name, age, number in their family and any remarks considered relevant by the minister.
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| Orkney Archive Reference D13/5/1 |
As you can see, many inhabitants of Shapinsay were forced to seek support after their crops were 'ruined' or 'hurt' by sheep. Other claimants pleaded poverty, lameness, blindness, mental illness and desertion by their spouse.
Forms were filled out for every Parish in Orkney in 1801. A man on the Island of Eday was listed as being 'Under the King's Evil' which was an 'tuberculous swelling of the lymph nodes', whilst many others have the unfortunate word 'ruptured' next to their name.
People are described as sickly, infirm, frail, miserably poor, decrepit. bedfast and, in the case of one Rousay couple 'Poorman and she silly.'
This document of a tiny snapshot of time illustrates all the many ways in which ordinary folk could have the rug pulled from under them and be forced to rely on outside help.