Thanks Guy,
I haven't received the exact copy I saw as the lady who was on the exhibit has not been into the centre. Therefore I will continue to pursue the copy. However, they sent me another entry with a husband and wife;
Name: John Anthony aged 52, black, cannot read or write. Parish or home: East Indies? Whence came: London. Whither going: Plymouth. Occupation: Seaman. Cause of travelling and remarks: To his late Captain to get certificate for prize money
Name: Rebecca Anthony aged 45, dark, cannot read or write. Parish or home: Kingston, Jamaica. Whence came: London. Whither going: Plymouth. Remarks: Wife of the above
The rest of the page was not scanned and I was not able to see of they were issued with money or tickets
another page and entry;
John Williams aged 29 black with black hair, from Jamaica. On the way from Plymouth to London, he was a sailor. Cause for travel: to pass the board in order to obtain a pension. 2 tickets were given to him valued at 9s and 8¾s.
So far there are quite a few entries of Jamaicans travelling as seamen and in the 2nd case with a wife. I need to get to the centre as I can explore the records at my own pace and in more detail.
Melsia
________________________________________
From: The Black and Asian Studies Association [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Grannum, Guy [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 14 October 2008 09:46
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: complexion - fresh?
I've been watching this thread with interest and look forward to seeing a fuller description of the document and contents.
I've discussed this with colleagues and seen off-message threads and the feeling is that overseers did not usually maintain a separate register of 'poor travellers'. It was common practice for overseers and church wardens to give a financial incentive to encourage non-parishioners to keep on moving through parish in case they became 'settled' (and therefore liaible to parish relief if they fell onto poor times) or for the parish to pay for their removal to their parish if they became a burden on the poor rates (which could be very expensive). Basically to pass the problem onto someone else.
Blandford Forum is on the main route between Weymouth and Salisbury and onto London and it is likely that many travellers passed through, especially seamen who were discharged at Weymouth, once an important port. It is possible that the Royal Navy may have disembarked soldiers, marines and sailors at Weymouth and other Hampshire/Dorset ports who would then have had to make their own way back to their regiment, to other ports or to London to for their next posting or to get their pay. You hear of such incidents nowadays.
It is likely that because of the numbers of such people travelling through Blandford Forum that the overseer felt the need to keep a separate register.
The overseers recorded place of birth/settlement to show the travellers did not belong to the parish and in case they needed to recover the money from the appropriate authorities. I don't know why the overseer wrote a brief physical description except may be as evidence that money had been paid out to a particular person just in case the person decided to remain.
I'm sure that someone else can describe the procedures and associated paperwork used by parish officials under settlement and removal provisions.
Guy
-----------
Guy Grannum
Your Archives Manager
Advice and Records Knowledge Department
The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, TW9 4DU, UK
tel: +44(0)20 8392 5330 x 2249
http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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-----Original Message-----
From: The Black and Asian Studies Association
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Melsia Tomlin-Kraftner
Sent: 07 October 2008 16:26
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: complexion - fresh?
Interesting Sean,
Travellers were going from A to B and included gypsies based on what I remember of the log. There was also a West Indian family mentioned but when I read what they were doing in the area, it stated travelling from 'Bombay to London' Obviously they meant the East Indies and the recorder made a mistake.
I am awaiting the records from the centre who had them on display at a multicultural event in Dorset. When I scrutinized the entries on Saturday, I realized that there was more information than I could mentally hold and did not have my camera with me. A trip to the centre is planned and I will have more details then. Apparently every parish had one such log - Overseers log of Poor Travellers.
Melsia
________________________________________
From: The Black and Asian Studies Association [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of SEAN CREIGHTON [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 06 October 2008 15:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: complexion - fresh?
Melsia,
Does 'travellers' mean people who are going from (a) to (b) or as in
gypsies?
Most likely to be the former in which case all people of African heritage
coming from the Americas and the West Indies to Britain in the 18thC and
early 19th C can be described as 'travellers'. Might 'travellers' who died
while staying in a parish be described in the burial registers as
'strangers'?
Perhaps Kathy Chater and Miranda Kaufman can tell us from their deep
researches into parish records?
Of the question of 'fresh' we have to use the meanings of the period.
Some older people still have young looking skin. If this was the case then
this might have been noticed.
The reference to 'captain' might be to an army or a navy captain, so it is
posisble that he had served in the British army or navy to be eligible for a
pension. But why would he need a certificate from a captain? Surely his
official records would have been sufficient to prove his eligibility? Is it
possible that he served in the West Indies and had not been to Britian
before, and that therefore there was no copy of his service record in
Britian?
Perhaps John Ellis can throw light on this aspect.
Sean
----- Original Message -----
From: "Melsia Tomlin-Kraftner" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 2:47 PM
Subject: Re: complexion - fresh?
Thinking back to those records on Saturday, healthy yes, but youthful did
not come to mind as the father who had 'black, fresh, black hair' next to
his name, stated they were in the area 'to see the captain for a pension
certifcate'. I will wait until the actual records arrive to make sense of it
all.
Anyone come across Jamaican travellers? Or any travellers of colour during
the 1800s?
Melsia
________________________________________
From: The Black and Asian Studies Association [[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Banton, Mandy [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 06 October 2008 10:00
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: complexion - fresh?
The Oxford English Dictionary says 'blooming, looking healthy or youthful'.
Mandy Banton
-----Original Message-----
From: The Black and Asian Studies Association
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Melsia Tomlin-Kraftner
Sent: 05 October 2008 23:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: complexion - fresh?
Thanks Ruth,
Sounds logical!!
Melsia
________________________________
From: The Black and Asian Studies Association [[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Ruth Paley [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 05 October 2008 12:55
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: complexion - fresh?
'fresh' complexion is a standard term used in descriptions of individuals -
it appears in everything from gaol calendars to service records. I've never
been quite sure what it means but an obvious possibility is youthful or
unlined.
Regards
Ruth
> Message Received: Oct 04 2008, 08:53 PM
> From: "Melsia Tomlin-Kraftner"
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Cc:
> Subject: complexion - fresh?
>
>
> Someone shared some records with me today from the 'Overseer's Register of
> Poor Travellers' 1819-1820 for Blandford in Dorset. There was a Jamaican
> family of travellers mentioned (from Jamaica!) but under their complexion
> black, brown etc., there was 'fresh'. Has anyone come across such
> description and know what is 'fresh'?
>
> Has anyone else come across Jamaican travellers during this period earlier
> or later?
>
> Just in case, It was not 'flesh' and definitely a 'r'.
>
> Thank you
>
> Melsia Tomlin-Kräftner
> PhD Caribbean Studies, Warwick University
>
>
> Associate Marketing Lecturer,
> Chartered Marketer
> Southampton Solent University
>
>
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