Armitage Huddersfield

[MargeW]

Hi

I orginally posted this message on the Cheshire board, but I am wondering if there might me some information in Huddersfield as Cheshire has drawn a blank!

I wonder if anyone can help me understand an article I have recently discovered in the Huddersfield Chronicle, 19th May 1866.

'The clerk informed the board that, with respect to the case of Kate Armitage, who was alleged to have been illegal induced to remove to Huddersfield from Knutsford had laid all the particulars before the poor law board who had replied that the relief by which the woman was enabled to come to Huddersfield had not been advanced by an officer of the board, but by an overseer; the attention of the district auditor would therefore be called to the item, should it be charged in the Union accounts. He (the clerk) had also informed the Poor law board that the guardians had agreed to carry out the suggestions of Mr Wilkes, the Lunacy Commissioner, with regard to Deanhouse Workhouse, and the poor law board returned thanks for the attention paid to the commissioners’ recommendations'.
 
I know that Kate was born in Knutsford in 1832, the daughter of Peter Richardson and Mary Davies. Peter was a shopkeeper in Knutsford and later moved to Mobberley. I believe he became an Alderman. I can track Kate in the 1841 and 51 census but there is no sign of her in 1861. The next record is the registration of her daughter Annie in Bradford in 1863, she is listed at this time as Kate Armitage and Annie’s father is William Armitage a draper. Their next child William was born in Nottingham in 1864. William senior is listed as a policeman at the time. I do have his police records but the only personal information is that he was born in about 1835, sadly no location. William Snr died in Nottingham in 1865. I had always presumed that Kate then moved to Huddersfield as their third child Jane was born there in 1866 (April-June). However, now that I have discovered this article I guess she first went back to Knutsford.

I am intrigued to understand the article, had she been in an asylum? What is an overseer? Would there be any records of this in Cheshire or Huddersfield? There is no mention of the children in this article, would they be elsewhere?

Kate had rather a sad life, she remarried a John Walker and had a son George, but John died and she spent the rest of her life in and out of the workhouse. She died in Crumpsall Workhouse in 1906.

Any ideas would be gratefully received. Marge 

[Sunlaws]

Hi
An earlier account in the Huddersfield Chronicle of March 24th 1866 gives more detail of the case. It mentions that William Armitage's indentures were in Huddersfield, (making Huddersfield a likely birthplace for him,) and gives details of Kate's movements after the death of her husband. It mentions her having gone back into service after his death- are you certain her two eldest children were still alive?

I think references to Kate in the newspaper article that you quote end at the word 'accounts'. The following bit re lunacy is simply the next thing the clerk reported.

There is useful information on Huddersfield workhouses here:
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Huddersfield/
though it seems as if her workhouse days were elsewhere.
Regards,
Lesley

[MargeW]

Hi Lesley

Thanks for this, I will take a look at the article. Yes, her eldest two children were alive. I have the workhouse records for Kate ( in Manchester) with all of her children and this was after her second husband John Walker had died, plus later census records. I wonder where they went during this time in her life!!

The Armitages are my brick wall, so I will keep on digging. Big thanks

M

[dave the tyke]

Hi
I think the article is all to do with the movement of Kate between two poor law unions who would have been responsible for her upkeep and that of her family should she be out of work.
Movement or settlement orders were fairly commonplace and took the form of a certificate, very much like a visa or work permit of today. Several signatures were required.

Check out these - 
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,339275.0.html
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LIN/poorsettlement.html

Dave

[MargeW]

Hi Dave

This is really interesting and will explain her return to Knutsford before settling in Huddersfield. The workhouse website is really good, and is helpful as I have lots of ancestors who resided in them!! Thanks again

Marge