From the Bath Pauper Examinations, 5/11/1851
Bath Union Workhouse
The examination of Ann Collins, wife of Charles Collins of no. 3 Ostrich Court, Grove Street, Bath, labourer, and William Wood now an inmate of the Frome Workhouse taken upon oath this 5th day of November 1851 before us Richard Willson Brown and Francis Thomas Allen esquires two of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for the said City and Borough upon the complaint of the Churchwardens and overseers of the poor of the parish of Walcot in the said city and borough now here made to us the said justices that George Wood age 14 years Sarah Wood age 9 years William Wood age 6 years and Henry Woods age 3 years - inmates of the Bath Union Workhouse have come to inhabit in the said parish of Walcot endeavouring to settle there not having resided therein for five years next before this date and not having gained any legal settlement in the said parish of Walcot and have become chargeable thereto and are at the time of making the said complaint chargeable to the said parish of Walcot by being supported thereby in the Bath Union Workhouse aforesaid and doubting the last legal settlement of the said George Wood Sarah Wood William Wood and Henry Wood.
Ann Collings' evidence
The said Ann Collins on her oath saith as follows.
The paupers namely George Wood Sarah Wood William Wood and Henry Wood are the children of Joseph Wood by his wife Elizabeth (sic) who were married at the parish church of Bathwick Bath about 17 years ago. The said paupers are now chargeable to the said parish of Walcot by being supported therein in the Bath Union Workhouse they have not resided in the said parish of Walcot for the last five years and are not chargeable through sickness or accident.
The mark X of Ann Collins
William Wood’s evidence
The said William Wood on his oath saith as follows.
I am now about 71 years of age and am the son of William and Sarah Wood. When I was about 9 years of age my grandfather Paul Jenkins rented for more than 1 year to wit for upwards of five years a tenement consisting of a dwelling house and premises situated in Gafson Hall or Coal Ash Walk in the parish of Frome in the county of Somerset of the value of upwards of ten pounds a year and resided on such premises for the whole of that time. I have heard and believe that I was born in Coal Ash Walk in the said parish of Frome. When I was about 9 years of age my mother applied to the overseers of Frome to apprentice me—accordingly I was bound apprentice by the Churchwardens and overseers of the said parish of Frome to a Tinman and residing in Cheap Street in the said parish of Frome for seven years by indenture duly executed and allowed by the magistrates. I served about 40 days residing all that time at the house of my said master and the apprenticeship was then put an end to. I was married to my late wife whose maiden name was Sarah Stokes at the parish church of Frome aforesaid in the year 1802. The said Joseph Wood the father of the paupers is my son by such marriage he is now about 39 years of age and was born in Blunt Street in the said parish of Frome in a house that belonged to George Watts. My said son has never done any act to gain himself a settlement in his own right.
Severally sworn at the Guildhall Bath in the County of Somerset the day and the year first before written before us the aforesaid two justices of the peace.
The mark X of William Wood
F T Allen
R W Brown
William, Sarah, Henry and George Wood are admitted to Frome Workhouse on Friday 28th November, 1851.
23/12/06