Hello Maple
It doesn't follow that a man described as a pauper was in receipt of poor relief.
Some time ago I spoke on the telephone to a Fife council archivist. I cannot for the life of me remember his name, but I think he was in a place called Methill.
My specific interest in talking to this man was to obtain Dunfermline poor house records.
He told me that no poor house records survive for the period relevant to your inquiry, but council minutes are available for public viewing by appointment.
If your man was a recipient of poor relief, it might be contained in this documentation but you need to be there. Take something to keep yourself awake.
I could be wrong about this but I seem to remember reading that poor relief was dispensed by the church through cash receipts from Mort cloth usage rather than by the state. Perhaps this was earlier
May I suggest that you telephone Fife Council and ask for their archivist and explain to him what you want to know. Now I come to think about it, I think his first name was Andrew. He was very helpful to me.
I don't seem to have helped you very much
M
