The Wingfield Connection part 3 – Which Joseph Wingfield?

In the tin boxes I found one more item concerning the Wingfields, a letter of administration for Joseph Wingfield dated 6^th April 1803.

Joseph Wingfield letter of administration

It begins:  “by divine Permission Bishop of London To our well beloved in Christ Mary Wingfield widow the Relich of Joseph Wingfield late of the parish of Sarratt in the County of Hertford deceased.  Greeting”.

Relich or more probably relic is an odd word; the most relevant use now is “something that has survived from the past, such as an object or custom”. Presumably here it refers to his wife as being Joseph’s survivor. Now this Joseph must be Rebecca’s grandfather; however I had thought he was married to Alice, the AW on the gravestone.

Letter of appointment as an overseer

My final Wingfield relic comes, not from the tin boxes, but from my uncle just two months ago.  At 94 he is beginning to sort out the family pieces that he has stored away.

This document, dated 3^rd April 1816” announces the appointment of Joseph Wingfield to the appointment of overseer for the parish of Sarratt.  He is described as “a substantial householder” and he needs to be for as well as overseeing the poor and procuring work and lodgings for them he has to arrange for collection of the rate for the relief of the poor.   Along with the Church Wardens he has to keep meticulous records and any failings on his part are subject to a fine.  The fines are of varying amounts: twenty shillings for failing to arrange a monthly meeting; twenty pounds for failing to give notice of and to collect the poor rate; five pounds for refusing to receive any person removed by warrant from another parish and so on.  But the powers are great and include being able, with the leave of the Lord of the Manor, to build on any waste or common ground a “house for dwelling for the Poor”.

So here are three Joseph Wingfields;  the first married to Mary dying intestate in 1803, the second married to Rebecca Young, a man of substance , dying in 1857, and thirdly his son, brother to Rebecca and husband to Emma Lane, dying in an asylum in 1873. So why do I have these papers?

(to be continued…..)