The following are transcripts of records relating to Beaminster. They provide examples of how poor people accessed healthcare in the 1830s, before Dorset County Hospital opened in 1841:
- Children vaccinated against smallpox, 1834
- Treatment at the Exeter Eye Infirmary, 1834
- Surgeons’ bills for treatments and operations, 1835-36
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Children vaccinated against smallpox, 1834
The following is a list of children (and, apparently, one adult – William BARRETT, aged 30) who were vaccinated for smallpox in 1834, paid for by the parish of Beaminster. The list can be found in Overseers of the Poor, Beaminster, Workhouse (Dorset History Centre, reference PE/BE: OV 7/5).
| [Page 1] | |||||
| Children Vaccinated at the Parish Expence 1834 by Messrs. James & Thomas DANIEL’s | |||||
| Age | Age | ||||
| Jane NEWMAN | John BARTLETT | ||||
| … | Mary | 7½ | … | 2 children | – |
| … | Joseph | 4 | Thomas WEBB | ||
| … | William | 2 | … | Jane | 6 |
| … | Susannah | 1 | … | James | 4 |
| Thomas STONE | … | Amelia | 1 | ||
| … | James | 10 | Joseph GEAR | ||
| … | Elizabeth | 6 | … | Mary | – |
| … | Mary Ann | 4 | … | John | 8 |
| … | Jane | 1 | … | Maria | 5 |
| Joseph CLEALE | … | Elizabeth | 2½ | ||
| … | Thomas | 10 | James DAW | ||
| … | George | 6 | … | James | 1 |
| … | Henry | 3 | John CALE | ||
| … | Charlotte | 1 | … | Mary | 7 |
| Joseph POMERY | William GREEN | ||||
| … | Joseph | 7 | … | – | – |
| … | George | 4 | Thomas COX | ||
| … | Job | 2 | … | John | 8 |
| Ann APPLIN | … | Priscilla | 3 | ||
| … | William | 5 | Mary DYKE | ||
| Jeremiah BARTLETT | … | Harriot | 7 | ||
| … | Samuel | 5½ | Hiram BROWN | ||
| … | William | 3½ | … | Elizabeth | 8 |
| … | Henry | 1 | … | Mary | 6 |
| Samuel DUNN | … | Simon | 3 | ||
| … | George | 7 | … | George | 3mos |
| … | Elizabeth | 5 | William GODSELL | ||
| … | William | 3 | … | Hannah | 6 |
| … | Sophia | 1 | … | Amelia | 4 |
| Elizbeth BARTER | James CROSS | ||||
| … | Caroline | 7 | … | William | 8 |
| Emanuel ELLIOT | … | Rebecca | 5 | ||
| … | Mary Ann | 3 | … | Jane | 2½ |
| … | Robert | 1 | William POOLE | ||
| … | George | 6mos | … | George | 9 |
| Joseph LIGHT | … | Mary Ann | 6½ | ||
| … | Harriet | 10 | James QUARREL | ||
| Henry CHUBB | … | Ann | 11 | ||
| … | Elizabeth | 3½ | … | Grace | 9 |
| … | Mary Ann | 2 | … | James | 7 |
| … | William | 1 | … | Sarah | 5 |
| James APPLIN, Junr. | … | Samuel | 2½ | ||
| … | Eliza | 8 | … | Maria | 4mo |
| … | James | 5 | John CLARKE | ||
| … | Thomas | 1½ | … | William | 9 |
| … | Eliza | 6 | |||
| … | Eli | 2 | |||
| Ann DIMENT | |||||
| … | Angelena | 3 | |||
| William GODSELL | |||||
| … | One | – | |||
| [Page 2] | |||||
| Age | Age | ||||
| George DAW Junr. | James DUNFORD | ||||
| … | William | 4½ | … | Ann | 4 |
| … | George | 2 | … | George | 2½ |
| James PAUL | … | Jacob | 1¼ | ||
| … | James | 7 | John CLARE Senr. | ||
| … | Thomas | 5½ | … | George | 7½ |
| … | Elizabeth | 2½ | … | James | 1½ |
| Moses BUGLER | Richd. BUGLER | ||||
| … | Edwin | 5 | … | Elizabeth | 3 |
| … | Ann | 3 | … | Susan | 2mo |
| … | Selina | 7mos | Thomas CASSON | ||
| John CHUBB | … | Sarah | 3 | ||
| … | Elizabeth | 7 | … | Thomas | 1¼ |
| … | Charles | 5 | Joseph MARSH | ||
| … | Daniel | 2 | … | Charles | 5½ |
| … | Jane | 4mo | Daniel HANN | ||
| William DAW | … | Eliza | 8 | ||
| … | Samuel | 7 | … | Charles | 5 |
| … | George | 6 | … | George | 3 |
| … | Martha | 3 | … | John | 9mo |
| … | Elizabeth | 1½ | John BUGLER | ||
| John POMERY | … | Joseph | 1½ | ||
| … | Mary | 6 | Lydia BURBRIDGE | ||
| … | Jane | 4½ | … | George | 5 |
| … | John | 3 | John PAUL | ||
| … | Henry | 1 | … | George | 8 |
| John GEAR | … | Ann | 5 | ||
| … | Jemima | 6 | … | Madelaine | 1½ |
| … | Sophia | 2½ | George PAUL | ||
| … | Emanuel | 2mo | … | Richard | 7 |
| Joseph BARRETT | … | Henry | 5½ | ||
| … | Sarah | 9 | … | Mary Ann | 3 |
| … | Mary | 5 | … | Eliza | 7mo |
| … | William | 2 | Saml. RENDLE | ||
| Grace PEARCE | … | Elizabeth | 7 | ||
| … | Grace | 8 | … | Charlotte | 5 |
| Peter BURBIDGE | Hester BARTER | ||||
| … | Peter | 4½ | … | Aaron | 8 |
| … | John | 9wks | … | William | 4 |
| Josiah QUARREL | Samuel PAUL | ||||
| … | Harriet | 9½ | … | Eliza | 8 |
| … | David | 5½ | George BACON | ||
| William HOARE, | … | George | 8 | ||
| shoemaker | … | Henry | 6 | ||
| … | James | 7 | … | Elizabeth | 2½ |
| … | Sarah | 6 | … | Maria | 12w |
| … | Richard | 3 | Rebecca MARCH | ||
| Philip CRABB | … | Walter | 6½ | ||
| … | George | 9 | … | Jemima | 3½ |
| Robert MEADWAY | … | Harriet | 1 | ||
| … | William | 8 | Thos. LOVERIDGE | ||
| … | Susan | 6 | … | Jane | 4 |
| George KEECH | … | Henry | 1¼ | ||
| … | Harriet | 9 | Willm. BRINSON | ||
| … | George | 6 | … | John | 7 |
| John MARSH | … | Thomas | 3 | ||
| … | Madeleina | 6 | … | Susan | 5wks |
| … | Alfred | 4 | John HOUSE | ||
| … | James | 1½ | … | Susan | 7 |
| William BARRETT | 30 | Willm. DYKE | |||
| … | William | 9 | … | Henry | 6 |
| … | Ann | 6 | … | Richard | 2 |
| … | Catherine | 3 | Bryant MILLS | ||
| … | John | 2 | … | Bryant | 7 |
| Robert HOLT | Henry GALE | ||||
| … | James | 7 | … | George | 8 |
| … | Simeon | 2½ | |||
| … | Jane | 8mo | |||
| Kitty MARSH | |||||
| … | David | 8 | |||
| … | Isaac | 6 | |||
| … | Susan | 4 | |||
| … | Ann | 2 | |||
| … | Samuel | 1 | |||
| … | Barbra WEAVER | 10 | |||
| [Page 3] | |||||
| Age | Age | ||||
| Moses GREENHAM | … | … | |||
| … | Isaac | 7 | |||
| … | Susan | 6 | |||
| … | James | 1 | |||
| Richd. TRUMP | |||||
| … | Charles | 7 | |||
| Willm. BARRATTS | |||||
| … | Eliza | 7 | |||
| … | Nicholas | 6 | |||
| … | Thomas | 1 | |||
| John PARKER | |||||
| … | Harriet | 9 | |||
| … | George | 6 | |||
| … | William | 2 | |||
| Henry ALLEN | |||||
| … | David | 8 | |||
| Joseph SAUNDERS | |||||
| … | James | 6½ | |||
| … | Sarah | 5¼ | |||
| … | Elizabeth | 3 | |||
| … | Ruth | 1¼ | |||
| George ALLEN | |||||
| … | John | 2 | |||
| James HILL | |||||
| … | Caroline | 7 | |||
| … | George | 5 | |||
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Treatment at Exeter Eye Infirmary, 1834
In 1834 Henry DYKE of Beaminster was sent to Exeter at the parish’s expense for treatment at the Eye Infirmary. There are two documents recording this: a letter from the Eye Infirmary requesting payment for Dyke’s board and lodgings while he was an out-patient in Exeter, and a bill for his carriage from Exeter and accommodation. Both documents can be found in Overseers of the Poor, Beaminster, Vouchers (Dorset History Centre, reference PE/BE: OV 3/8). In one of the surgeons’ bills below, there is a reference to a cataract operation for a Henry DIKE in 1836.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
[Envelope]
[To] Mr. Wm. CLIFT, Assistant Overseer, Beaminster
[From] N Z, Exeter Eye Infirmary
[Letter]
Dear Sir,
The money due for the board & lodging of Henry DYKE during the time of his being in Exeter as an Out Patient of the Eye Infirmary has not been paid.
Will you forward it to the Secretary Mr. WETHEY at Redfield & Co, or to the Eye Infirmary.
Yr Obit Servt
Saml BARNES
Exeter April 14. 1834
The sum is £1. 16. 0.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
[Bill for carriage and accommodation]
| 1834 | Beamr Parrish – to – Rt. GILL | £ | s | d |
| Feby. 22 | For Expences From Exon & at Acmn. | = | 4 | 5 |
| For Carriage of Hy. DIKE | = | 2 | 6 | |
| Received Rt. GILL | = | 6 | 11 |
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Surgeons’ bills for treatments and operations, 1835-36
The following bills were sent to the overseers of Beaminster by parish surgeons J. and T. DANIEL for various treatments, including cataract operations, cupping, treating fractures and applying leeches. The originals are in Overseers of the Poor, Beaminster, Vouchers (Dorset History Centre, reference PE/BE: OV 3/8).
| [Page 1] | ||
| The Overseers of Beaminster Parish | ||
| To J. and T. DANIEL | ||
| 1835 | ||
| March | Reducing Wm. DAWs Childs Fractured | |
| Leg Lotions &c | 2. 2. 0. | |
| – | Reducing Giles GODDARDs Fractured | |
| Hand Applications &c | 1. 1. 0. | |
| Apr 7 | Removing a tumour from J BUGLERs Child | . 10. 6. |
| 22 | Reducing John JACKS Fract. Leg &c | 1. 1. 0. |
| May | Attending Wm. SKEATES and attending | |
| the Coroners Inquest on Wm. SKEATES | 2. 2. 0. | |
| June 2 | A visit to Harriet STAPLE at Stoke | |
| 5 | Do. | . 3. 6. |
| 9 | Do. | . 3. 6. |
| 14 | Do. | . 3. 6. |
| 19 | Do. | . 3. 6. |
| July 4 | Reducing Mary HALLETs Sons dislocated knee | . 1. 0. |
| 17 | Reducing Wm. DAWs Sons Fractured Leg | |
| Lotions &c | 2. 2. 0. | |
| 28 | Reducing Samuel MILLS Fractured | |
| Leg Lotions &c | 2. 2. 0. | |
| Turn over | £12. 19. 0. | |
| [Page 2] | ||
| Brought over | 12. 19. 0. | |
| Novr. 1st | A visit to Mary TOY at Netherbury | . 3. 6. |
| 2 | Application of six Leeches to Thos. BUGLERs Son | . 6. 0. |
| 4 | Mary TOY a Visit | . 3. 6. |
| 7 | Do. | . 3. 6. |
| 12 | Do. | . 3. 6. |
| Decr. 3 | Reducing Thos CHUBBs Sons Fract. Arm | 1. 1. 0. |
| Attending Henry PAUL from Jany 3rd to | ||
| Jany 11th Introducing Catheter &c | 1. 1. 0. | |
| Feby. 27 | 1836 A visit to Martha GUDGE Netherbury | . 3. 6. |
| 29 | Do. | . 3. 6. |
| Attending the Paupers from Lady Day 1835 | ||
| to Lady Day 1836 | 40. 0. 0. | |
| £56. 8. 10 | ||
| March 25th. 1836 | ||
| Recd. J. W. DANIEL | ||
.
It is clear from the document above that the surgeons billed the parish overseers annually (Lady Day to Lady Day). In 1836 they presented one more bill (below), after which the Beaminster Poor Law Union became responsible for medical treatment of the local paupers.
| The Overseers of Beaminster Parish | ||
| To J. and T. DANIEL | ||
| 1836 | ||
| April 12th | Operating for Cataract on Henry DIKE [DYKE] | 1. 1. 0. |
| – | Operating for Cataract of on Joseph GEAR | 1. 1. 0. |
| 27 | Samuel STAPLEs Wife Visits to Stoke | . 3. 6. |
| Reducing Hernia &c. | . 10. 6. | |
| 29 | An elastic steel truss | 1. 1. 0. |
| 30 | Operation of Cupping on Moses GRENHAM [GREENHAM] | . 5. 0. |
| May 6th | Samuel STAPLEs Wife a Visit | . 3. 6. |
| 17 | Amputating John COLEs Daughters | |
| thigh. Lotions &c. | 10. 10. 0. | |
| Attending the Paupers from March 25th | ||
| to May 21st | 6. 13. 4. | |
| £21. 8. 10 | ||
| Received. | ||
| J. W. DANIEL | ||
| June 24. 1836 | ||
