A Kentish incident relating to the Poor Law of 1824

These two documents (Gordon Ward ref: CHA 006) relate to the extremes that parishes would go to, to ascertain where the charges for the support of a child should be laid under the Poor Law as it stood in 1824.  The child in question, William Winton, was born on board the hulk of HMS Namur, moored in the River Medway at Chatham, sometime before 1824. The child and mother would appear to be destitute as they were on the hulk at the time of birth and because there was no means of support other than the parish.

Dear Sirs        We beg to acknowledge the receipt of your favorof the 21st respecting the birth of the infant William Winton.        We find the weasel was commissioned by Capt[ai]n Curtis 15th Sept[ember]1823 and fitted out along side the Namur hulk --- The Child mustwe think have been born as you mention on board the hulkas the wife of one of the warrant officers rememberssuch an event abhout the time. But much difficulty appearsin determining what parish the hulk was then lying in.The parishes of Chatham and Frindsbury extend fromeither side of the river and meet just about the centre wherethe ships are moored and as they swing round witheach tide it may have been in the one parish or the otheraccording to whatever position the ship happened to be in --- The only way as it appears to us by which the fact couldbe shewn would be by measurement to obtain the exactposition of the hulk as she may lie nearer one shore thanthe other; or if the day and hour on which the Child wasborn were known the state of the tide at such period mightdetermine it.        We shall be happy in rendering any further assist-ance in the matter that you may require.        Our charges as annexed we shall feel greatly oblig-ed by your either remitting to us or paying to MessrsT & J C Lowe Southampton Build[in]gs Chancery LaneChatham                                   We are28th June 1824                                   Dear Sir                                                                        Yours truly                                                                              Stephens & Son

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[second page]   Mr John Mercer                                                            Dr. to Stephens & Son 1826  £  s  dJune 22                                 Postage of Letter from you   "  "  7      Attending ----- one of the Clerks of the Dock Yard in consequence of the request contained in your Letter and ascertaining the name of the Hulk alongside of which the Weazel Sloop was fitted out in the Medway afterwards going on board the Hulk, making enquiry respecting the Birth of the infant George Winton and then attending one of the Warrant Officers who lived on shore whose Wife was on Board at the time of the Birth and who on our  questioning her recollected the event Also attending the   "  13 4High Constable of Chatham and obtaining the exact boundary in the River of the Parish of Chatham and attending at Chatham Church and at St Nicholas Rochester and searching the Registers for the Birth of the Child Paid Boat hire   "    "  8   "    Search at St NIcholas    "   1  "Letter of correspondence    "   3  6  £"  19 1