Folios 172-176. [Continued from MH 12/9364/113.] Also enclosed is a statement of...

Folios 172-176. [Continued from MH 12/9364/113.]

Also enclosed is a statement of John Tallents. He states that three weeks ago he came to Mansfield from Chesterfield. He had been living in Scotland and brought and handed in a certificate. On his arrival at Mansfield he took lodgings in the back lane. The next morning he went to his sister's, Elizabeth Tallents. He then went to Mr Ellis's shop and got 6d from the men working there. He returned to his sister's and took dinner, he stayed until about 3 or 4pm, then went into town. At about 5pm he called at the workhouse and asked for the relieving officer. He saw Bingley the porter, who asked if he was willing to work in the morning, he told Bingley that he was unable to work, it was the relieving officer he wanted to see. Bingley said he could not see him before the morning. Bingley opened the door and informed him that he might have a night's lodging if he would work in the morning. Tallents states he went into the yard and there were two men there. He says he stayed about a minute and a half, knocked at the door and informed Bingley that he was going out and not going to stop there all night. Bingley gave him his stick and he left. Bingley searched him when he went into the yard to see if he had any money, tobacco or a knife. He had 1d, a little tobacco and a pipe, Bingley did not discover the tobacco and pipe and he showed him the 1d, which he did not take. He says he left, he thought the place was dirty and not fit to sleep in. The next day, about 10am, he, again called at the workhouse and asked to see Mr Winter the relieving officer. He was admitted and he showed him the paper, which he read. He claims he wanted to tell him where he was apprenticed and asked for other information about himself, but Winter would not listen. Winter told him he came as an imposter and vagrant, Winter then went to Bingley and he (Tallents) went into the yard. He states that he did not tell Winter he was ill, he would not hear anything he had to say. He left the workhouse and saw Mr Hardwicke, one of the guardians, he showed him the paper and stated his case. Hardwicke informed him there was a meeting of the guardians the next day and to come then. He says he came to the workhouse on Saturday, the first person he saw was the relieving officer, who wanted to know what he was doing there, he said he was told to come by Mr Hardwicke. He claims that Winter told him he had no business there and came as a vagrant, he ordered him to the lodge. He says he told Winter he would not go until he got an answer from the guardians, Winter said he would get someone to put him away. Shortly after, he says that several of the guardians came to speak to him, Mr Hardwicke was amongst them. He spoke to them and was eventually left alone with Mr Hardwicke, who advised him to go to Brampton, where he was apprenticed. The following Thursday, he says he attended the board again and the chairman enquired his age and whether he was married. He told him his age and informed him he was married and his wife and children were in Scotland. The chairman told him he had left his wife and children to tramp about the country. He told the chairman that if he was able to tramp or work he would not have been there. Tallents says the chairman asked the relieving officer if he was in the house or getting relief, he was told he wasn't housed or getting relief. Tallents says the chairman then told him to go into the house, but he said he didn't want to leave until he knew what he would be doing. The chairman told him the relieving officer would advise him. He says Winter gave him a paper and told him to go to the lodge, Mr Winter, the elder,(workhouse master) was present at this time. Tallents claims that as Winter, junior, gave him the order Winter, senior, told him repeatedly that he did not belong there. He claims Winter junior told his father to hold his noise and called him a fool. He says that Winter, junior, then told him he would be sent to the house of correction the following morning. Tallents says he went to the lodge, followed by Winter, senior, who told Bingley to open the door, and he went into the same place as on his first day. He states that Winter, senior, told him to turn the crank, he told him that he was not able to work, otherwise he would not be there and told Winter that if he got a doctor to examine him, he would do what he could, this was around 12noon. Winter told Bingley that he was not to get any dinner as he would not work. inter told Bingley to lock the door to an old house, as he had no place to sit, other than a privy, this was so offensive he claims he could not sit there. He says he had to stand or walk, but it was a fine day, he had no dinner, nothing to eat until 8pm, when he had supper at the same time as the vagrants. After supper, he states that he was removed to the vagrants ward, where he slept that night with a vagrant. He claims that the bed was not clean and there were vermin in it. He says he got up between 5-6am the following morning, the same time as the other vagrants. He says he had his breakfast at 8am and Bingley asked him if he was going out like the rest, he told him he was staying, according to what the guardians had said. He was taken to the yard near the lodge by the vagrant's sleeping room between 5-6am, he remained there until 10am when he says he asked to see the workhouse master, he did not come. He says that at about 1pm he had a bout of shivering of cold, and at 2pm, he knocked on the door and told Bingley to let him out, if this was where he was to stay. Bingley asked if he wanted dinner, but Tallents informed him he would sooner have a warm at a fire. He states that he then went out and went to his sisters, where he had his dinner. Tallents says that he later saw Mr Hardwicke and asked him what usage he was to receive after e left the board and was told that he was expected to go into the workhouse. He says that he then told Hardwicke how he had been treated and was advised to go to see Mr Orton, which he did and informed him how he had been treated. Mr Orton told him he could do nothing and did not know what they could do about his settlement until they had consult an attorney. He claims that Orton ordered to go and see the relieving officer, but after he explained his previous treatment, he said not to go.

Under cross examination from Winter junior, Tallents said that the first time he saw him he did say that he came as an imposter and a vagrant.

Under cross examination from Winter senior, he stated that the first time he came to the workhouse to ask for relief, he was sober. He said that he came out of the King and Miller, just before he came to the workhouse, where he had half a pint of beer. He had ther same earlier that day at the Royal Oak. When he came to the gate he enquired for the relieving officer, who told him he could not see him (Winter senior). He was informed he might have a night's lodging if he would work in the morning. Tallents said that when he was before the guardians on Thursday, he had an order to come into the workhouse. Winter junior, gave him an order to go to the porter's lodge, which he did, followed by Winter, senior. He stated that he did not go into the men's yard, he said he had not been in any yard, other than the small one near the porter's lodge, unless he was taken through a yard when he was taken to the vagrant's bed. He stated that Bingley was at the lodge on Thursday after he left the board. He said he was put in the yard and told to turn the crank, he said he was unable to do so, but if he sent for a doctor to examine him, he would do what he was able.

[Continued at MH 12/9364/115.]

Paper Number: 15123/B/1847.

Poor Law Union Number: 337.

Counties: Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.