What was a Relieving station?

[mikejee]

I came across something called a Relief Station No 2 in the 1855 Post office directory, staffed by someone called the Relieving Officer, at 78 Cecil St. Does anyone know what a Relief station was ?
Mike

 

[Phil]

Mike

As far as I understand it a relieving officer was employed by the Public Assistance Board. They were employed to receive applications for relief, and make payments when these had been approved by the Board. They also issued orders to admit people to workhouses. I'm sure it was a lot more involved than this, but thats the outline of it.

Phil

 

[GER22VAN]

This is a very interesting thread.

 

[mikejee]

Thanks Phil. hadn't come accross it before.
Mike

 

[brummie nick]

I don't know what their job was, but there's 87 People with the Job Title on the 1851 census.

 

[Ray Barrett]

A relieving officer,made payments to people in need.I have one in my family tree,he gave my gt.grans sister (a young widow) 3 children the last one when he was 72 years of age,and married her when he was 74.
Nice work if you can get it.

 

[Ray Barrett]

Here is a photo of the widow above around the time c1883,the relieving officer was handing out his favours.She is standing,the other is my gt.gran.

 

[pollypops]

https://www.institutions.org.uk/workhouses/england/warks/birmingham_parish_workhouse.htm

If you look at this site and scroll down (under the workhouse token picture) - Henry Gibbs is on the list, and recieves £100 pa
Polly

 

[Ray Barrett]

Poor wages...but the perks were wonderful.

 

[berniew]

I found 2 references to relieving officer one in Ireland and one in Wales and it seems just as Phil has said something to do with workhouses and Public Assistance Bernie

 

[Lloyd]

From: https://a-day-in-the-life.powys.org.uk/eng/social/es_relieving.php

Social Conditions
Relieving Officers
Relieving officers were employed to receive applications for relief, and make payments when these had been approved by the Board. They also issued orders to admit people to workhouses.

 

[sylviasayers]

Ray, in 1883 the wages of £2 per week would be classed as a good wage.

 

[Geoff Broughton]

Henry Gibbs was my GG Grandfather born 1802. He appears to have been the relieving officer between 1841 and 1854. Then briefly a rate collector in 1855 then various other unrelated occupations. Was the £100 pa shown on https://www.institutions.org.uk/workhouses/england/warks/birmingham_parish_workhouse.htm a good wage? I wish I could find a photo of him.

 

[robert]

There was at one time a thread on here about a police station on the Coventry rd, just past the old Elmdon airport. It is now an hotel, the Trident. But when in use as a police station it was refered to as a relief station before the end 0f the1800s.

 

[Ray Barrett]

Sylvia,
The date of the photo.is c1883,but my gt.grans sister was "entertaining" the relieving officer in the 1890s.
I suppose she was doing the best she could, as a young widow, who already had 3 children,it must have been her way of keeping her children together and out of the dreaded workhouse
As you say,the wage of £2 at that time would have been excellent,but this particular relieving officer needed it...he was keeping two homes going, one in Wheeler St.and another in Wilton St.where his wife lived.

 

[pollypops]

Henry Gibbs was my GG Grandfather born 1802. He appears to have been the relieving officer between 1841 and 1854. Then briefly a rate collector in 1855 then various other unrelated occupations. Was the £100 pa shown on https://www.institutions.org.uk/workhouses/england/warks/birmingham_parish_workhouse.htm a good wage? I wish I could find a photo of him.

Geoff, hello and welcome to the site. How lovely that you should join us after finding us discussing your GG Grandfather's job. I hope someone on here can find some information for you. We are a friendly bunch and the amount and quality of information that people find for other members on this site never fails to amaze me. Good luck in your search, Polly