Folio 200. Letter from William Birkett, Collector, Scarcliffe, Mansfield Poor Law...

Folio 200. Letter from William Birkett, Collector, Scarcliffe, Mansfield Poor Law Union, to the Poor Law Board, in response to a letter, dated 22 August 1867. Birkett states that it was neglected to say that the person employed by the overseers of Scarcliffe to write the rates and collect them before he commenced to do so, in making the rate, entered the empty houses in the column for that purpose, and deducted the amount from the total before it was signed by the magistrates, and the sum remaining was accounted for whether it had been collected or not. He says when he took over this situation, the overseers, for the time being, directed him to make out the rate the same way, and in collecting the rate in a parish nearly six miles long, he frequently found some of the small ratepayers had left the parish, often for distant parts of the country, and the rate could not be recovered, hence such rates would be a loss because they were unaccounted for and the extra charge for stamps would make up such deficiency, and he again asserts that he had never knowingly and wilfully defrauded the parish of a penny. Birkett states that the accounts were kept by him in a small book for the half year, and at the end of that period were submitted for the inspection of one or both overseers, who then instructed him to make out the accounts. He states that the value book for the parish was lost long before he knew anything about parish affairs and consequently he never saw it. Birkett states changes in the occupation of land were continually taking place, and having no other guide than copying from one rate book to another, it was very difficult to keep the rate in account state. He says that the new valuation list came into operation in 1866, and the first rate granted in May, and the rate is very nearly in accordance with the valuation list for the parish.

Annotated: say that he has not replied to the question put to him by the Board, in their former letter, Paper Number: 32362/1867, whether the entry of the extra sum charged for stamps, was made by him. Request that he will inform the Board whether the entry, was in fact, made by him and if so whether since he was appointed collector.

Paper Number: 33981/1867.

Poor Law Union Number: 337.

Counties: Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.