Goxhill History

Historically, the movement of people between villages was strictly regulated by the parish system. While skilled workers were often welcomed, those unable to support themselves were viewed with reluctance. Parishes only provided for their own, requiring "strangers" to carry certificates of settlement from their place of birth to ensure they could be returned to their home village if they became a financial burden on the local overseers.

I have often wondered when an emigrant turns into an immigrant. At what stage of the journey from one place to another does the change occur. A similar situation arises between town and village dwellers that change their homes. Historically things were very different, whilst people with useful skills were welcome people who could not support themselves were not.

Overseers of the Poor

Each town or village had to provide for the poor but this was done with some reluctance. Two people were chosen to be the overseers of the poor and they administered funds collected from an assessment upon the occupiers of land. The village only provided for those people who were born there and so had right of residence.

Strangers could come into the village to work but they had to have a certificate from their own village acknowledging their right to live in that village. If such people became unable to work to support themselves they were sent back to their own village. In many places this resulted in terrible hardship. The sick and the dying were transported over great distances in appalling conditions as horse and farm cart took them back to their own village.

The Certificate of Godard Stamp

There is a record of one of these certificates for someone coming to Goxhill and it appears to have been a serious matter:

"I John Osgerby Sole Churchwarden and Sole Over Seer of ye Poor of ye Parish of North Kelsey... Do hereby Own and Acknowledge Godard Stamp In His Wife and Family to be Inhabitants legally Settled in our said parish of North Kelsey."

This document was signed on the Ninth day of September 1757. It was officially allowed by two magistrates, Se Atkinson and Jno Uppelby, following an oath by Goddard Stamp Sen that he witnessed the signing by the Church Warden of North Kelsey.

Life in Goxhill

Ten years later the Christian name of Mr Stamp is recorded as Gothard he worked at harvest and earned £3 7s 10d and was paid the high rate of 10d per day for day work. He is known to have rented a cottage in Goxhill in 1769 and 1772 but there is no record thereafter.

Fortunately there is no longer a need for a certificate to show the place of origin of people who come to live in the village. No longer are the sick and dying returned to the home of their birth. Which is just as well because finding the traditional transport could be just a little difficult.