In an Examination under oath by two Justices of the Peace John stated the following;
“The County of Worcester
The Examination of John Dyson, cordwainer, taken upon oath July 3rd 1758
The Examinant says that about 14 years of age he was put out apprentice by indenture for seven years to William Hancock, in the Borough of Stratford upon Avon in the County of Warwick, Cordwainer, that he served his said apprenticeship upwards of five years at which time this said Master failed and gave his deponent up his indentures. And this examinant further says that he has not been an hired servant by the year rented the value of ten pounds a year paid any parochial payments nor done any act or thing to gain a settlement since his apprenticeship with the said William Hancock in the Borough and Parish of Stratford upon Avon aforesaid, and that about twelve years ago he had a certificate acknowledging him to be settled in the said Borough and Parish of Stratford and that he has reason to believe the said certificate is lost.
Sworn before Edwin Sandys Signed John Dyson
Ann his wife
Willm aged 10 years
John aged 7
Samuel aged 6
Mary aged 5
Ann aged 3
Betty 6 months”
This document was discovered in the ‘Parish Chest’ of Kempsey. A Cordwainer is a person employed in the shoe trade and a maker of small leather goods. A copy of this Examination is attached.
As the result of this Examination a Removal Order was granted to the Churchwardens as Overseers of the Poor in the Parish of Kempsey for John, his wife and six children to be removed from the Parish of Kempsey to the Parish of Stratford on Avon in Warwickshire, as they had become chargeable to the Kempsey Parish and should be removed to their last place of residence. A copy of the Order is attached.
Clearly the Order was not enforced as John no doubt found employment and remained settled in the Parish of Kempsey as their son Thomas was born there in February 1760