May 22 1776
“At a Vestry this day held by adjournment it was unanimously agreed for the better maintenance and provision of the poor of this Parish to establish a house of Industry in order that the aged and infirm may be more comfortably kept and maintained and that poor children may more industriously trained up and that the lazy and indolent may be kept to such suitable employment as may render them beneficial to society and having no house belonging to the parish suitable for their commodious reception it is hereby unanimously agreed to hire a house of Mr Thomas Barsham for the full term of 14 years and having this day to let the same.”
July 20th 1797
At a Vestry this day pursuant to Public Notice for the purpose given on Sunday las
Present Joseph Forby, William Doe, Edmund Barsham, Nicolas Sands, Joseph Bull, Isaac Ashly, Thomas Wright.
It was unanimously agreed to contract with Mr James Parish for the maintenance, clothing and management of the Poor of the Parish for three years from the twenty fourth day of this inst. to the full expiration of that term paying and allowing the said James Parish half yearly at the rate of one hundred and sixty pounds per annum. He the said James Parish undertaking to provide good and sufficient food and maintenance together with shoes and other clothing and to keep the same in good and sufficient repair and at the end of this lease to give them up to the churchwarden and overseers of the poor of the said parish of Fincham in as good condition as he now takes them – the said churchwardens and overseers agreeing to put all their clothing beds and bedding and all the utensils in the house into good and sufficient repair and the said James Parish agrees to keep the same in good repair and to exempt the said James Parish of all rates taxes and town charges upon the said premises and it is also further agreed that if the number of poor should by any accident be increased above the number now chargeable at the expiration of one year, in that case the said overseers of the poor shall make the said James Parish recompense and satisfaction according to the number increased and the said James Parish agrees that if the number be diminished that he will make a proportionate abatement according to such numbers so diminished that during this agreement the said James Parish should be allowed ten shillings for every woman who lays in within the said house over and above the yearly allowance and that the said churchwardens and overseers shall be at expense in burials and shall employ and pay a doctor when necessary and shall pay for all wine and spirits ordered by the doctor or overseers of the poor and if the said James Parish be at any time required to attend any magistrates that he should be allowed the same expenses of the as the other officers of the parish.
Fincham Local History Society 