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Parish Poor Houses

From the first poor law in 1597, the responsibility for looking after the poor fell to the parish.  Hartley had a poor house that later became the site of Darenth Cottages near the Black Lion.  They built a second cottage ("Defoes Cottage") in 1832.  After the Dartford Poor Law Union was set up in 1834, the poor went to the Workhouse in West Hill, Dartford and the Hartley cottages were eventually sold.

(a) PRO MH12/4924

I Francis Treadwell of Hartley in the county of Kent, farmer, do hereby solemnly and sincerely declare as follows, namely that I am of the age of 79 years or thereabouts.  That I have lived in Hartley aforesaid from my earliest remembrance and was born there, as I have always been informed and believe, and have frequently served Parish office in the said parish during the whole of my remembrance and from time immemorial as I have always heard and believe, the said parish of Hartley has been possessed of a messuage or dwelling house occupied on 3 tenements and a small piece of land containing about 10 rods, situate in the said parish.  That the said house and land have always been used for the residence and occupation of the paupers or poor persons of the said parish, and that the said premises have always been repaired at the costs of the said parish.  That about 5 years ago another small cottage or tenement was erected on part of the said land by the parish officers at the expense of the said parish.  That the same has ever since been occupied by one Fanny Longhurst, a parish pauper who was put in these by the said parish officers and that the whole of the said premises have been as long as I remember anything been held by the said parish in manner aforesaid without any interruption, adverse claim whatsoever and without payment of any quitrent or acknowledgement.

Declared at Hartley     29 December 1837

Return by Dartford Union says they can't use it and it would go into decay as only the small tenement and one man who occupies one room at a weekly rent.  Sale proceeds estimated to be £100 to go to new workhouse.

(30.12.1837) Request by Dartford Union for sale signed by William Bensted of Hartley amongst others.

(b) Sale Particulars 1869 (Dartford Library)

Lot 17 - a small freehold at Hartley, Kent.  Consisting of 2 boarded and thatched tenements, and one brick ditto, with gardens.  Having a frontage to the road of about 146 feet.  Near the Black Lion Inn, Hartley, let to Rhoda Treadwell, a yearly tenant up to Michaelmas 1869, at the very inadequate rent of £3 pa; and underlet by her to labourers at 1s 6d per week, making a total of £11.14s pa.  This lot is tithe free.

The plan shows the large tenement near the pond, with the other smaller one adjoining the Black Lion.  Adjoining owners to SE (NW according to map!) are Messrs Miller and Aldworth.