And another in my series of articles in the Norwich Mercury of 200 years ago this week. Back in 1825, if a man abandoned his wife and children without paying any support then he would face consequences from the local parish. Under the Poor Laws and Vagrancy Acts, if his deserted family became chargeable to the parish, local overseers could apply for his arrest and he could be punished as a rogue and vagabond, facing imprisonment or hard labour. The law’s primary concern was protecting the parish purse, not enforcing domestic responsibility, so prosecution generally occurred only when abandonment led to public expense as was the case here.
The £5 reward was a generous one, that’s worth over £250 in today’s money. The village of Beddingham is around ten miles south of Norwich and it’s clear that they were displeased that they were left funding William’s wife and children. It’s an interesting snapshot of the benefits system of the time, which did ensure at least that women and children were looked after.