81 



bore no definite relation to any other administrative area except 

 thrunion and it might be situated partly m one county and 

 pa^^tlyTanoSTer; partly, as in the case of Haberglmm-Eaves 

 Fn a coimty and partly in a borough; partly, as in the case of 

 Marsden within the jurisdiction of a Local Board, and partly 

 Sont Parishes were very unequal in extent and population 

 7n this Union, Wheatley Can-, with a population of 39 and a 

 rateable value of £425, was represented on the Board of Guard- 

 Lns by one member, Whereas Habergham Eaves, with a popula- 

 tion of 35!o85 and a rateable value of £132,000 had only a 

 representation of four. As an administrative unit the parish was 

 not now of much importance. The essential organisation of the 

 Zishlonsisted of the vestry and the overseers. Vestries were 

 Shr common or select, and the usual definition of a common 

 vestr^ was " the ratepayers of the parish m vestry assembled 

 EveJy ratepayer, whether resident or non-resident, was entitled 

 to vote Select vestries were created by an Act commonly known 

 II Hnbhouse's Act. The functions of the vestry consisted mainly 

 11 manag Bg be parish property, and charities if there were any 

 an?fn adopting and working certain permissive Acts It might 

 put into force the provisions of the Free Libraries Act, also 

 f rovide for lighting by adopting the provisions of the Lightmg 

 ^^W^+.hhi? Act (1833). It might decide that a new burial 

 g?ounTwa's"eV^^^^^^^^^^ Board. The principal 



officers of the civil parish were " Overseers of the Poor. When 

 Ce c?vil parish wL also an ecclesiastical parish the church- 

 wardens were ex-officio overseers. The overseers were unpaid 

 bittthe vestry could elect an assistant to perform any or the 

 whole of the duties of the overseers. The duties of the overseers 

 Tn respect to poor relief had been transferred to the Guardians, 

 but in cases of immediate urgency they still had power to order 

 rel ef to be given. It was the duty of the overseers to make out 

 and publLla^aiious hsts of voters for Parliamentaiy and Munici^ 

 pal eFect ons. Theii- main function, however, was the making and 

 WiS^^^^^^^ poor-rate. Many expenses not connected with he 

 Sf of the poor were by statute directed to be discharged out of 

 the poor-rate, and other rates might be collected with the poor- 

 ■ate as if they formed a part of it. 



r 



THE UNION. 



For poor law purposes primarily, but mcidently for other 

 purposes! England was divided into Unions The Union might 

 be defined as the area tmder the jurisdiction of a Board of 

 Guaxdians. For the most part it consisted, as its name implied 

 of an aggregation of Poor-law parishes ; but he constitution of 

 a Uniof might be conferred on a single parish if the population 

 warranted it There were 649 unions, of which 25 were single 

 parTshes. The Unions were very unequal in size and population, 



