Folio 202. Petition from Thomas Penistant and Joseph Burton, Overseers of the Poor...

Folio 202. Petition from Thomas Penistant and Joseph Burton, Overseers of the Poor and John Stoakes and [Samuel Hubbert], Overseers of the Highways, of Sutton in Ashfield, [Mansfield Poor Law Union], to the Poor Law Board. They call the attention of the Board to the Small Tenements Rating Act 13& 14 Vict c 99 which has lately been adopted in the parish. They state that only 1100 of the houses in the parish come under the operation of the act. There has been considerable opposition by the ratepayers to the adoption of the act which the petitioners believe to be due to the unjust provisions of the act, that it disfranchises the occupiers of small tenements of their votes in vestry and the election of guardians. The petitioners think the act will demoralise the majority of the inhabitants 'by depriving them of the last vestige of their rights as citizens'.

They beg the Board to recommend the legislation be changed to allow all occupants the chance to vote in vestry and the election of guardians.

Annotated: acknowledge and promise consideration. This parish has been in difficulties for most of the time it has been in the union with constant delays in payment of its calls, continually in arrears and a long list of excused rates.

Also annotated: acknowledge and state the Board are not aware it is in their power as the law at present stands to remedy the grievance reported.

Paper Number: 1469/1851.

Poor Law Union Number: 337.

Counties: Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.