Interlude 3
Elizabeth Malbon (c.1743–1801)
Dianne Shenton
Elizabeth Warrington married the coal miner George Malbon at St Bartholomew, Wednesbury, Staffordshire, in 1763.1 In 1775 George was ‘killed by a Fall of Coals’ and buried in Wednesbury.2
Now widowed, Elizabeth applied for parish relief for herself and her four children. Wednesbury’s parish officials were keen to establish whether the Malbon family was chargeable to the parish. At an examination, the format of which would have been similar to that outlined in Chapter 3, Elizabeth was required to give evidence of her marriage, household and husband’s place of settlement. Judgment was given that the family should be removed and a removal order issued.3
To the Constable or Officer of the Peace of the Parish of Wednesbury, Staffs. to receive and convey, and to the Overseers of the Poor of Butterton, Staffs. to receive and obey Elizabeth Malborn [sic], widow with 4 children as Rogues and Vagabonds. And upon examination of said Elizabeth Malbon taken before J. Slaney J.P. upon oath, she says that her place of settlement and the said 4 children is Butterton. To convey them to Butterton and deliver them to the Church Wardens etc. according to Law. Dated 16 Aug 1775.
Several members of the Malbon family had been resident in Butterton-in-the-Moors since the appointment of a John Malbon as perpetual curate and teacher c.1697, but there was no evidence of George having been born there. The parish of Butterton-in-the-Moors, therefore, refused to accept Elizabeth and her children and they remained in Wednesbury. Even though the removal failed, it shows how the process of settlement could potentially deliver a family to a parish with which they had only the flimsiest of connections.
As there is another Butterton in Staffordshire, which is not a parish in its own right, there is a possibility that Elizabeth’s husband was the George Malbon who was baptized at St Margaret’s, Wolstanton, on 23 January 1730/1. After this date, however, there are no further references in the Wolstanton records to George Malbon and there is no extant evidence of Wednesbury having contacted the officials of Wolstanton to enquire as to whether it was George Malbon’s place of settlement.
Elizabeth’s first known request for assistance occurred at a critical moment in her life cycle but did not end once her children had reached adulthood. It may be that Elizabeth’s offspring, who all remained in the Wednesbury area, were able to provide for their mother most of the time but, subject to occasional periods of want, they could not provide the support their mother needed throughout. Intermittent pension payments over the next twenty-six years, usually for eight shillings, culminated in the parish paying 1s for ale for her funeral (Figure 3.7).4 She was buried at St Bartholomew’s, Wednesbury, on 12 July 1801.
Figure 3.7 Extract of an Overseers’ Voucher for Wednesbury, Staffordshire, showing ale for E. Malbourn’s (sic) funeral, D4383/6/1/9//177, ‘A list of Necessaries for the 5th Month’, 27 July 1801
1 SRO, D4383/1/21, St Bartholomew, Wednesbury, George Malbon and Elizabeth Warrington, 23 May 1763.
2 SRO, D4383/1/5, St Bartholomew, Wednesbury, 2 Apr. 1775.
3 SRO, QSB, 1775 M/171, Rogues’ and vagabonds’ passes.
4 For example, SRO, D4383/6/1/9/3/116, Bills entered in the parish book, 28 June 1790; D4383/6/1/9/3/177, ‘A list of Necessaries for the 5th Month’, 27 July 1801.