Welsh Journals

234 BYE-GONES. Nov. 1, 1899. crop(Sedum Telephium),broad-leaved helleborine (Epipactis latifolia), and the rhubarb-like butterbur (Petasites vulgaris). The late Mr Pamplin of Llandderfel found the wood crane's- bill (Geranium sylvaticum) by the Pennant stream. The Gardens, Pate, Corwen. Thos. Ruddy. NOVEMBER 1, 1899. NOTES. MONTFORD BRIDGE (Aug. 16, 1899, et ante). — The following: Note, taken from "English Life in the Middle Ages," appeared in Household Words, Aug. 19, 1899 (p. 315) :— L.C.O. A Clerk entrusted with a sum of money to be delivered to Edward III. was " drowned in the Severn at Montford Bridge, by the rising flood of water, and could not be found, so that he was devoured by beasts, thus the said hundred marks chanced to be lost." The beasts, if that surmise was correct, might have been wolves, though they were rare then. THE WELSHWOMAN'S HAT.—It is com¬ monly believed, and has often been stated, that the tall hat formerly worn by Welshwomen has entirely disappeared; but a writer in the Sun¬ day Magazine for September (p 617) says it still lingers, with the rest of the old Welsh costume, " in a small fishing? village in Pembrokeshire, the ancient seat of a Flemish settlement." We could wish that the name of the village had been given. An illustration is added, which we must suppose was recently taken from life, and not from a " person dressed up for the occasion." Can any one give us further information on the subject ? " All the inhabitants of the village," we are told, " still dress in costume." W.O. FORDEN HOUSE OF INDUSTRY.—The following short history of the House of Industry at Forden, contributed by the present Chairman of the Union, with extracts from the minutes, showing the punishments formerly meted out to the inmates, and other curious matter, will be interesting to the readers of Bye-Gones. In 1792 an Act (32 Geo. III.) was passed incor¬ porating into one district for the relief of the poor the parishes of Montgomery, Pool, Berriew, Llandyesil, Llanmerewig, and Forden, the chap- elries of Buttington and Wolston Mynd, other¬ wise Trelystan, and the townships of Aston and Castlewright, in the county of Montgomery, the parishes of Chirbury and Worthen, in the county of Salop, and the parish of Churchstoke, in the counties of Salop and Montgomery, with power to build a house or houses. The Act contained provisions to the following effect:— All resident owners to the value of £20 per annum & all ratepayers assessed at £10 per annum to be iincorporaJfced & called Guardians & to be a Corporation for all purposes. Four general Courts of Guardians to be held every year, on the 1st Wednesday in January, April, July & October, between 10 & 2, at the house after it 'da built, ex¬ cept in case of disease, when the Directors or five of them, may appoint other place of meeting near. A chairman for the day to be elected at each Court. Guardians, before acting, to qualify be¬ fore three Guardians or a Justice for either county, & women may appoint qualified Guardian rin writing as proxy. The Guardians to appoint 21 Directors, kwo each for Berriew, Forden, _ Cbir- (bury, & Worthen, two for the middle division of Pool, & one each for (Montgomery, Llandyssil, Llanmerewig, Buttington & Wolston Mynd, & for the upper & lower divisions of Pool, one for Atlton & Castlewright, one for Brampton & Rihis- ton, & two for the reafc of Churchstoke. The first Directors to serve for three years, when seven shall retire by ballot & seven others out of the lists of Guardians submitted shall be elected bv (the regaining Directors in their room, & so on till list of present directors is exhausted. After¬ wards the seven who have been three successive years in office shall retire. & the Directors shall out of their list of Guardians submitted to them elect seven others in their place. If no list sub¬ mitted Directors may elect by ballot Directors to be sworn. Bailiffs of Montgomery & Pool to be Directors, but not compellable to act, & if both present only Senior to vote. Persons refusing to serve after notice shall nay £20 unless good cause is shown. If sufficient Directors do not a'tend to form a Court, they shall forfeit not more than £5 nor less than £1. No Director compellable to serve again for five years rif there are competent successors, nor after 65. Parishes fco make out lists annuallv of Guardians fit to be Directors. They mav with their consent elect non-residWts owning £40 per annum, or ratepayers paying £30. Weekly Courts: Three Directors may hold. Five may call special meeting of Directors or Guardians. Nothing to be done except at Courts & nothing alt Quarterly Courts unless five Directors are present. House to be built at Forden, between Church & Gaer Mill. Thirty acres of waste may be in¬ closed round house which is to 'be called Mont¬ gomery & Pool House of Industry. Directors may aopoitit pay officers & make bye-laws & aUter them. To have sole charge of poor, may set idle & disor¬ derly persons to work in the house, & if they do not earn sufficient for their maintenance put them into their place of correct on for not exceeding 30 days, & during such time punish them by moderate correction, abatement of diet, or distinction of dress, at their discretion. May hire out poor for harvest, &c. May apprentice children. (May ap¬ prehend persons likely to be chargeable & not legally settled, women delivered of bastards & the reputed fathers, & take them before Justice; and may apprehend' deserters from house, Persons harbouring poor to be liable in not exceeding £5, nor less than £1. May punish idle & disobedient. ■May punish corporally or otherwise vagrants by order of three Directors, one of whom must be a J.P., & send them to their settlements. Provisions as to settlement: Directors to require production trod make abstracts from all parish