overseer

[anniemacp]

In an OPR marriage entry (Edinburgh 1805) the bride's father is described as "Willm. Howlison, overseer, Lauder".  The only information I could get on this occupation was overseer of the poor, but I understand that this was an unpaid position and it therefore seems a strange thing to put as an occupation.  Has anyone any ideas what else he might have been an overseer of, given that he felt it unecessary to be more specific?  Or could overseer of the poor indeed have been his full time occupation?

[behindthefrogs]

If he was just a labourer the fact that he was overseer to the poor would be much more significant to the church and the minister who recorded the marriage.

While the overseer's job was basically unpaid there were plenty of opportunities for expenses.

David

[Latchfordian]

My dictionary gives 2 definitions of overseer :-

1. An overseer is someone whose job is to make sure that employees are working properly i.e. supervisor.

2. If a person or organization is the overseer of a particular system or activity, they are responsible for making sure that the system or activity works properly and is successful.

Rather vague, but then job titles often are.   

[stanmapstone]

The officials who performed the assessment and collection of the poor-rates were called overseers, of which there were normally between two and four in each parish. Overseers were appointed annually, subject to the approval of the local Justices. In addition, churchwardens were able to act as ex-officio overseers. Since the post of was an honorary one, overseers received no remuneration for their work, but, where the duties required it, paid or assistant overseers could be appointed under the Poor Relief Act of 1816. . But this was only in England and Wales, not Scotland.

Stan