Folios 182-187. [Continued from MH 12/9364/116.] Also enclosed is a statement taken...

Folios 182-187. [Continued from MH 12/9364/116.]

Also enclosed is a statement taken by Robert Weale of Nathan Cooper, Medical Officer, who states he is a medical officer of the Mansfield Poor Law Union Workhouse. He says that he has examined John Tallents, and finds that he is now suffering from severe rheumatism, the muscles of his left shoulder are much wasted and it would be very improper of him to work at a mill or any work that would require any muscular exertion. Tallents has been labouring under severe rheumatism for some time. Cooper added that he considered the lodgings for vagrants in the Mansfield Poor Law Union Workhouse better than accommodation offered at the general rooms or lodging houses in the town.

Also enclosed is a statement taken by Robert Weale, of George Smithurst, an inmate of the Mansfield Poor Law Union Workhouse, who states that he was in the lodge on the first night John Tallents made application. He heard him speak to the porter and it appeared that he was in liquor, he was not very drunk and could walk. He did not hear what had first passed between Mr Bingley, the porter and Tallents. Smithurst says that Bingley showed Tallents into the vagrant ward, he was not there for more than five minutes before he wanted to go out, Bingley let him out.

Also enclosed is a statement taken by Robert Weale, of William Winter, the Mansfield Poor Law Union Workhouse Master, who states he first John Tallents on Saturday, when he was in the waiting hall, waiting to see the guardians. Winter says Tallents showed him a paper, which he said he wanted the guardians to read. Winter says he gave the paper to Mr Wilson the chairman of the meeting, this was not a regular meeting, but a committee meeting. Mr Wilson read the paper to the guardians and told Tallents the paper was of no use whatever, and he may go where he pleased, or something to that effect. Winter states he next saw Tallents the following Thursday, after his son, the relieving officer, had given him an order of admission to the workhouse, by direction of the board. He says that his son said the board informed him that Tallents was to be set to work. Winter states that he took Tallents to the men's yard, where men were working at the mill. He told him to go and join the men and work with them, Tallents told him he would not work with them. Winter says he then took him to the lodge and he was put in the vagrant's yard, he told him to work there, but he would not, he did not complain of any ailment. Winter says he asked him why he would not work and he replied he might as well work anywhere else as come here to work. He told the porter not to give him any dinner if he refused to work. He says he saw him, again, about an hour later and asked why he did not work. Tallents told him that he was unable to work but did not complain of any particular complaint. He did not direct, at that time, that he should have his dinner as he thought it justified in withholding dinner, under the 36 Art. of the workhouse rules, on now reading this rule, he sees that he did not act legally. Winter states that he has no explanation to offer as to the sending of Tallents, that night, to the tramp room. He presumed he was taken by the porter, in consequence of him being in the tramp ward at the porter's lodge, with the other tramps. At night Tallents had 6oz bread and 1½ pints of porridge. Winter admits that he did not attend to the directions contained in the rules and regulations of the Commissioners, as to the admission of John Tallents, he wished he had done so. Winter added that, at this period, he is so pressed with duties in consequence of the number of inmates, and the additional number he has to provide food for, that he has not been able to do all that he would wish to do. At this time he had 1500 meals to serve, daily, to the out poor.

Also enclosed is a statement taken by Robert Weale, from Theopholis Winter, Relieving Officer, who states that on Friday 25 June 1847 John Tallents applied to him and produced a paper, that he had brought out of Scotland. Tallents said Mansfield was the place of his birth and that he had come for the expressed purpose of having his settlement fixed. Winter states that he told him the paper was of no use to him and it was very uncertain whether the parish of Mansfield would enter into the particulars where his settlement was. He says the idea he entertained was that, as he had come without any order, he must be treated as casual poor. Winter says he told Tallents that there would be a meeting of the board the following day and he might stay at the lodge as a vagrant until then. He went to the lodge with him, but he refused to stay. On the following morning he saw him in the waiting hall, and on asking Tallents told him he had been ordered to come by Mr Hardwicke, one of the guardians. He says he told him he was still a vagrant and the board would treat him so, he told him to go to the lodge until the board was ready to see him, he refused and was very saucy. Tallents then told him that he had not come for work or relief, but to find out his settlement, and he would make the parish find out his settlement. Tallents said he would go to the house of correction, but he would have his settlement found out. Winter says that he told him that it was very likely, if he behaved in this manner, that he would go there. He states that he did not report the matter to the board as it was not a regular meeting, but a special one for a particular purpose. Winter say that the guardians spoke with Tallents as they came through the hall, he did not hear what passed. He says that Tallents went away and his sister applied to him for relief for him, on the same day. He told his sister that he did not know what had passed between the board and Tallents, and could do nothing more than what he had informed him. If the guardians recommended that an order into the house should be given, he would give him one. He also told her that her brother was the proper person to apply and she went away. On 1 July 1847, he states that Tallents made a personal application to the board for relief, he was ordered into the workhouse. Tallents left the board room with him and he gave him an order to take to the porter. Winter says that he denies having used the language imparted to him, towards his father. He says he might have told him not to say any more to the man(Tallents), but he is sure he never called his father a fool. Winter states that on 10 July 1847 Tallents' sister applied to him for a medical order, which he gave. There has been no further application for relief.

Paper Number: 15123/B/1847.

Poor Law Union Number: 337.

Counties: Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.