Overseers? Poor Law Records? What on earth have they got to do with agricultural labour Mr. Carter? The post and the records you are describing relate to provisions for the poor and destitute who have already entered the workhouse.

The Overseers job was created in 1834 and his duties were as follows:

From 1834, administration of poor relief was transferred from the parish to the Poor Law Union. However, the collection of the poor rate within each parish continued to be performed by parish overseers.

Overseers performed a number of other local administrative duties relating to poor relief, education and health, often in conjunction with Union officials such as the Board of Guardians or the Relieving Officer.

The overseers' duties included such matters as compiling lists of those eligible for jury service, ensuring the maintenance of graveyards, providing and maintaining a fire engine, and protecting the village green from damage by cattle — in the latter case, they were empowered to sell any manure that was left behind!

The Local Government Act of 1894 transferred the civil functions of a parish to parish councils and parish meetings. However, the overseer's role as rate-collector continued until 1925 when a unified system of rating authorities was created.