Folios 233-244. Letter from Thomas Richards, Clerk to the Guardians of the Droitwich...

Folios 233-244. Letter from Thomas Richards, Clerk to the Guardians of the Droitwich Poor Law Union, to the Poor Law Commission. He encloses correspondence with the Bromsgrove Poor Law Union about a case of medical relief, along with a statement from Mr Tolley, a guardian from Dodderhill. He asks whether Mr Fletcher [Thomas Swindell Fletcher, Medical Officer] of the Bromsgrove Union, or the Droitwich Union, should pay Mr Horton [Joseph Horton] for attending the woman in question.

Enclosed statement by Tolley. He says that in April 1842, Mr Pratt came to his house to make known his difficulties including old age and lack of work for his wife and himself. Tolley told them that if they were ill, they could have [illegible] from the union in which they lived, meaning that they should apply to the relieving officer who would give them the necessary note. However, when Pratt gave the relieving officer's note to the [medical officer] he refused to attend his wife. Pratt returned to Tolley who told him to approach Horton, a medical gentleman in Bromsgrove, if the medical officer continued to refuse. Tolley gave Pratt a note for Horton, so that he would be paid. The Commission is asked to say who is liable to pay Horton.

Enclosed copy of a letter from Richards to Thomas Day, Clerk to the Bromsgrove Guardians, dated [September 1843], acknowledging their letter of 22 September 1843, in which they report that Fletcher has been admonished for neglecting Mrs Pratt when she was ill and that they take responsibility for paying Horton. The Droitwich guardians would like to know whether the Bromsgrove guardians or Fletcher will make the payment.

Enclosed copy of a letter from Richards to Day, dated 17 August 1843, telling them that Thomas Pratt of Dodderhill, living in Stoke Prior, applied to the relieving officer, Mr Cottril [Cotterill] for assistance for his wife. The medical officer refused to visit, and Pratt complained to the Droitwich guardians. They would like the Bromsgrove guardians to investigate and tell them what happened.

Enclosed letter from Day to Richards, dated 29 August 1843. The Bromsgrove union had a meeting the day before, at which they examined Fletcher, Pratt and Pratt's daughter, and resolved to produce a report on the case for submission to the commission for their opinion.

Enclosed copy of a letter from Richards to Day, dated 21 September 1843, asking to see the findings of their enquiry.

Enclosed letter from Day to Richards, dated 22 September 1843, saying that he placed a full report on the matter before the guardians at their last meeting. Pratt and his daughter have been asked to attend the next meeting so that fuller depositions can be sent to the Commission. Fletcher has appeared before them and been admonished.

Enclosed letter from Fletcher to Richards, dated 9 October 1843, declining to pay Pratt's wife's account. Pratt paid his own medical account in May and said that he never thought of asking for medical assistance from the parish until Tolley told him to. He and his wife appear well off for their station as he is able-bodied, he can thatch truss-hay, they take in lodgers, and his wife was helping to teach at a school in August. Pratt had only obtained a conditional order, and as medical relief was refused by the board, Fletcher was entitled to charge him for the medicine. He saw his wife several times as a private patient.

Enclosed letter from Day to Richards, dated 10 October 1843, informing him that the guardians have declined to pay Horton's bill.

Enclosed copy of a letter from Richards to Day, dated 12 October 1843, asking for a copy of all the correspondence and documents relating to the case.

Enclosed letter from Day to Richards, dated 17 October 1843, stating that the order of the relieving officer cannot be found, that his letters include all relevant resolutions and that there is no other correspondence.

Annotated: note from [Alfred Austin, Assistant Poor Law Commissioner] dated 27 October 1843, recommending an enquiry by the assistant commissioner.

Annotated: write accordingly.

Paper Number: 14476/B/1843.

Poor Law Union Number 526.

Counties: Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.