Annuitant

[trish251]

I think the choice for folks when retired  was to put pauper or annuitant - and they didn't want to tell the world  they were paupers - I have disproved too many things told or written by ancestors to assume that what is on the census must be correct.

Alternatively - although in the 20th century - my grandmother bought a life annuity - she paid 1 shilling a week for many years. I don't think it was worth very much when she eventually received it, but it was an annuity

Trish

[acorngen]

Trish the way to prove that is to look at the verseer's books.  If they are receiving or have applied for poor relief then I would agree but having transcribed numerous wills of Ag Labs I can tell you they are shrifty and save money.  One of my own went from Ag lab to owning/leasing over 200 acres so don't discount it

Rob

[babyboomer]

babyboomer Wher would I find verseers books and what is ag labs?

[trish251]

Hi Rob

I've learnt not to discount anything  in my family research - I have found a number of folks in almshouses also specifing annuities or independent means and have trouble believing that they all fall into this category.

My grandmother (with the annuity) used to save money when living on a very small govt pension - so I do understand that folks can be very thrifty.

Baby boomer - Ag lab is an agricultural labourer - I would also like to know what a Verseer's book is - I haven't heard the term before.

Trish

[acceber]

Hello

Verseer's should be "Overseer's" and the overseer was responsible for allocating parish poor relief (a tax on the members of the parish and paid to the very poor, ususally those who couldnt work for some reason i.e early version of benefits). For more info a google search on the Poor Law will tell you more. The system changed in 1834 with the Poor Law Amendment Act.

These records are probably kept by the individual parishes if they still exist or they may now be at the county records offices.

acceber

[Christopher]

Thanks for that Rob,
I understood what a Annuitant meant, what I was not too sure of was this. Like my ancestors I have dug up have not been wealthy or for that matter had anything of value to leave. I just wondered where the money came from to pay to their Widows. Perhaps my ancestors were not as poor as I thought. Like back in those days they did not have a Pension from the Government. Did they??.
Sarra

Sarra, have a look at this link about Business Strategies. I googled "Annuitant Old English" and then looked at "The Making of the English Middle Class" An Annuitant could have been a poor person borrowing a little bit of money and then making regular payments until they died.

[rose rush]

Thanks for that Rob,
I understood what a Annuitant meant, what I was not too sure of was this. Like my ancestors I have dug up have not been wealthy or for that matter had anything of value to leave. I just wondered where the money came from to pay to their Widows. Perhaps my ancestors were not as poor as I thought. Like back in those days they did not have a Pension from the Government. Did they??.
Sarra

Sarra, have a look at this link about Business Strategies. I googled "Annuitant Old English" and then looked at "The Making of the English Middle Class" An Annuitant could have been a poor person borrowing a little bit of money and then making regular payments until they died.

I have come across a few of my ancestors on the 1851 Census. In the column where it says Occupation is listed Annuitant. The ancestors in question were Widows. Could someone please explain what this means.
Sarra

[rose rush]

I have just joined rootschat and have read Posts on Annuitant. Wish I could answer your questions. My question is: Are there RECORDS that hold the answers?
Somehow I don't think Wills are the answer or the Annuitant would have to wait until their GIVER died.
One person in my Genealogy group told me.
Firstly. A system was set up where if a husband was maimed or killed in a war then he if he was maimed or she if he was killed would receive help in the way of money and therefore one of them became an annuitant. 
Secondly: People who could afford to, donated money somewhere for this purpose.
There were certainly a lot of wars going on in 1800s and huge numbers of casualties.
In my case. My Annuitant was an unmarried mother of one child and the fathers name was not put on her child,s  birth certificate. He was born 1879. A big brick wall I think but I will plug away and I hope you others do too. Let us know how you get on.
Rose.

Rose

[Mofamily]

Hi

Just joined the link.  I have a female relative (widow) 1881 down as Annuitant.  Her husband was a Durham Coal Miner.  Does anyone know if this annuity would come from her husband's employers?

Mo