36. Settlements

By the Act of Settlement the poor were compelled to receive a certificate of settlement if the removed to another parish. If anyone fell in want, in a parish in which he was not legally settled, he was sent by the Parish officer to the last place from which he had received the certificate.

In the township accounts of Sutton there are many entries, of which the following are typical: -

Feb 28th 1734 "Spent when we met to consider about removing Henry Mitchell 1/-." - "For charge of advice of H Mitchell 5/-." - "An order removing him2/-." - "Spent for going to Settle to get it Signed 1/-. Myself and horse 1/8. Spent on the road and lodging when Henry Mitchell was removed 6/6. Myself and Robert Spencer going with them 2/-. 3 Horses going with them 2 days 4/-."

A total of 22/2 was spent in removing Henry Mitchell, most removals did not cost so much. Many entries are short; e/g/ "1774 September 4th Carrying John Heyworth to Kildwick 2/6".

Removals continue to be carried out until the middle of the 19th century, in 1833 on Oct 14th - "Carriage to Skipton, Mary Laycock. Removal order 1/-".

In 1735 the Sutton overseers appealed to the Justice of the Peace for the removal of Mary Calverley, who, in the words of the document "came lately to inhabit Sutton not having gained a legal settlement there nor produced a Certificate owning herself to be settled elsewhere", and that "if not timely prevented, Mary Calverley is likely to become Chargeable to the township of Sutton". The Justices found that the last place of lawful settlement was Kildwick, and they ordered the overseers to convey her to that village and hand her over to the overseers there. There were similar cases where whole families are removed.

In the year 1836 John Bancroft and his five children were removed from Sutton to Cowling, their last place of lawful settlement. The evidence given by John Bancroft at his examination was as follows: -

"I am about thirty three years of age and was born at Keighley in the said Riding, as I have been informed and believe. My father when I was about a year and a half old removed to Sutton and rented a farm of the yearly Rent of about eighteen pounds, that he occupied the same farm until about 17 years ago when he removed to Cowling and took a farm where he now resides, of the yearly rent of about sixty pounds. I lived with my father at Sutton aforesaid, and removed with him to Cowling and continued to form part of his family until about twelve years ago when I married, when I took a farm in Cowling aforesaid, of Holmes Clapham for the yearly rent of Eighteen Pounds and occupied the same about five years and paid the Rent. I then removed to Sutton and occupied a Cottage and had the keeping of two cows from the twenty third day of March to Martimas for which I paid Eight Pound ten shillings: That I am now a widower with five children viz. Isaac aged about twelve years, William aged about ten years, Abraham aged about eight years, Sarah aged about four years and Mary aged about two years. That I have done no Act save as aforesaid, whereby to gained a settlement, and am now chargeable to the said township of Sutton".

This short life history shows the descent of a man with a family from the position of a farmer until he was dependent on the Parish. There must have been many like him, who because of the new methods of farming were compelled to leave their land and find new work.