Continuing my series of This Week (Approximately) in History.
This pathetic story of the death of an unemployed man after being shoved from one London poor law authority to another calls to mind the recent case of David Clapson, a diabetic former serviceman who died with £3.44 to his name and no food in his stomach. His benefits had been withdrawn because he missed a meeting.
In the second extract, the editors of The Observer plead for compassion: “We again indulge in a hope, that in these times of necessity, those gentlemen to whom the relief of the poor is entrusted, will not be too scrupulous in their observance of the law, but lean a little to the side of humanity, particularly in their treatment of the casual poor.”
From The Observer, 29 December 1816
A Piteous Tale
An unfortunate Irishman, who had been out of employment for seven weeks, and had no means of subsistence and who lodged at th ehouse of a man named Morris, in Grub-street, applied a few days back to the officers of Cripplegate parish for relief. Those Gentlemen conceiving that he more properly belonged to the parish of St. Luke’s, sent him thither; but there his claims to relief being questioned, he had his trouble for his pains. In this state he applied to the Lord Mayor, who of himself gave the unfortunate wretch some temporary relief, and promised to write to the Overseers of Cripplegate. This hi sLordship did, and in consequence the man again applied, but was again referred to St. Luke’s. To St. Luke’s he once more crawled, but in such a state of weakness from the want of nourishment, that he could scarcely drag his emaciated frame thither. However, he at length got to the officers, and having repeated his entreaty for relief, he was placed in a chair, for he was no longer able to stand, and carried back to the house of Morris, in Grub-street, where he had lodged. Morris refused to take him in, and assigned as a reason that he had got himself abused before for burthening the parish, by giving lodging to casual beggars.-
While the dispute between Morris and the men who had brought the unfortunate pauper was going on, the poor creature himself remained gasping in the chair. At this moment, Mr. Gaslee, the collector of the poor-rates, came up, and persuaded Morris to run all hazards, and take the man in, as he was convinced he was dying. Morris did so, and immediately sent down to Cripplegate workhouse, to announce the state to which the poor fellow was reduced. No time was lost in attending to this intimation. The doctor of the house was sent, and he very properly recommended that some warm broth should be administered to the man. Immediately this was done, but unfortunately the poor creature breathed his last shortly afterwards, having been, as it was conceived, literally starved to death. It is much to be lamented, that pending disputes between parishes, as to their liability to support paupers, great personal suffering is sustained by the object who has given rise to the discussion. Would it not be more human to receive the unhappy pauper under any circumstances, and, upon ascertaining the parish to which he or she might belong, afterwards demand remuneration for such expences [sic] as might have been incurred. This would be fair and unobjectionable, and by such an arrangement much real misery would be prevented, in the present distressing times.
From The Observer, 5 January 1817
In our last publication we noticed under the title of “A Piteous Tale” the death of an unfortunate man, from want, in the parish of Cripplegate. The circumstances attending that hapless case were communicated to us by two respectable housekeepers in the parish in question; and believing, as we still believe, that they had no other object in view than the promotion of the ends of humanity, we felt no hesitation in giving insertion to a statement, which, to us, bore the stamp of truth, well knowing that the parish officers of Cripplegate would themselves feel happy in an opportunity being afforded them of justifying their conduct from an imputation of neglect, which had been so generally circulated in their neighbourhood. Those gentlemen, we are happy to say, have promptly entered into an enquiry on the subject, and have published the result of their examinations, which certainly clears them in a satisfactory manner from all just ground of crimination. We have received some letters from persons signing themselves Parishioners of Cripplegate, confirming the account originally published; but as these are anonymous, we do not feel ourselves warranted in giving them publicity; nevertheless, we agree with one of our correspondents, that it would have been more satisfactory had the investigation been public, and had the testimony of Mr. Gaslee, the collector of poor’s rates, who is represented to have taken so active a part in inducing Mr. Morris, the landlord in Grubb-street, to receive the wretched sufferer, and who, no doubt has been questioned on the occurrence, being added to the evidence, which has been published. –
Although, in this instance, it certainly does appear that the parish officers of Cripplegate were too hastily condemned; yet, from various sources we learn, that but too many cases have occurred in other parishes, in which paupers have been exposed to the most dreadful miseries, from their inability to prove a just claim to relief. We again indulge in a hope, that in these times of necessity, those gentlemen to whom the relief of the poor is entrusted, will not be too scrupulous in their observance of the law, but lean a little to the side of humanity, particularly in their treatment of the casual poor. It certainly behoves every Overseer to perform his duty in such a manner as to avoid the censure of his brother parishioners; nevertheless, we are satisfied, that even should his accounts appear a little too heavy, there is not a man possessing a benevolent heart who will not rather stand forward as his eulogist in the present painful crisis, than as his accuser.
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