Hi everyone
Apologies for length of message, something that may be of interest to those researching SLEE family.
I have copies of two Settlement Examinations for SLEE.
1) Dated 11 May 1831
To the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Merton and the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Great Torrington in Devon. Complaint concerning William SLEE and his family having lately come to inhabit in the said Parish of Merton not having gained a legal settlement there, nor produced any Certificate owning them to be settled elsewhere, and that the said;
[SLEE family]
William SLEE Head
Grace SLEE Wife
Sally SLEE daughter aged about 12 years
Ann SLEE daughter aged about 10 years
William SLEE son daughter aged about 8 years
Priscilla SLEE daughter aged about 6 years
Martha SLEE daughter aged about 4 years
Eliza SLEE daughter aged about 2 years
Become chargeable to the said Parish of Merton.
We the said Justices upon due Proof made thereof, as well upon the Examination of the said William SLEE, taken upon Oath, as otherwise, and likewise, upon due Consideration had of the Premises, do adjudge the same to be true; and we do likewise adjudge, that the lawful settlement of them the said [SLEE family] is in the said Town Borough and Parish of Great Torrington in the said county of Devon. We do therefore require you the said Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Merton or some or one of you, to convey the said [SLEE family] from and out of your said Parish of Merton to the said Town, Borough and Parish of Great Torrington and them to deliver to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor there, or to some or one of them, together with this Order, or true Copy thereof. And we do also thereby require you the said Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Town, Borough and Parish of Great Torrington to receive and provide for them the said [SLEE family] as Inhabitants of your Town, Borough and Parish of Great Torrington Given under our Hands and Seals the Eleventh Day of May in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty One.
2) Dated 27 March 1850
The Examination of William SLEE now residing in the Parish of Merton in the said County of Devon, touching the last legal Settlement of the said William SLEE taken upon Oath before me John Henry Furse Esquire.
We of her Majesty’s Justice of the Peace acting in and for the County aforesaid, this Twenty Third day of March in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty at Great Torrington in the County aforesaid, upon a certain Complaint of the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Merton that the said William SLEE hath come to inhabit and is inhabiting in the said Parish of Merton, not having resided in the said Parish for Five Years next before the said Application and Complaint, and not having gained a Settlement therein, nor having produced any Certificate acknowledging him to be settled elsewhere, and that the said William SLEE is now actually chargeable to the said Parish of Merton.
The said William SLEE upon his Oath, That ‘I was born as I have herd and believe in The Parish of Merton where my parents lived and I am now about 29 years of age. I lived with my Father and learnt my trade of him as a Mason, until within the last 2 or 3 years my father furnished me with Cloths and pocket money. I had no regular wages but after that time I went to live with William TALAMY in the said Parish of Merton and elsewhere in the said parish until about 3 years ago when I went into the Parish of Tormoreham and lived there about 2 years and half. I then came back to Merton and there resided ever since. I have never rented any premises of sufficient value to gain a Settlement or done any other such act.
Sworn before me the day and year aforesaid William SLEE’
C
