I have not got into the management of sinners handled by the Quarter Sessions. Next trip.

There was also the church side, who had Overseers and collected money for relief of the poor, worried about bastards, about who belonged in Tetbury (Settlement) and put poor children out as Apprentices.
Looking after the poor was quite exciting, they had the Workhouse, an Almshouse for 8 poor folk, and seem to also have set up a Founding Home for children, possibly when the Workhouse was closed about 1755.
They also had an annual collection of rates from the more well off, which meant they needed a list of those expected to pay, and annual elections of town officials - Ale taster, Carnal (I think the Meat Inspectors), leather sealers, wardsman and Constable, so there was also a list of eligible males.

In the 1660s the King decided he wanted a shilling a year for every hearth in each house. This meant someone was employed to go round and make a 'little list', and another was appointed 'collector of tax'. Of course there was trouble, so a third was appointed Constable.
The local lists went through the Overseers and the Vicar was in charge.

The Feoffes also get called Trustees - they held the property of the town in trust, and organised things like rent of property. They got their money from the rent of various things including spots at the Market, and held an annual Court Leet, or meeting for every male aged 15 to 60. It was originally a dinner, but there were words said about the cost, so the dinners were later cut back to the members of the Town and Foreign Juries. These were responsible for rubbish management, building location, and other easy problems like administering the town Charities giving out coats, and Christmas sixpences to the poor.
The Feoffees got bored, and the system broke down, there were complaints, and the town picked a new lot of 13. This happened about 1715 and again about 1780, as the Feoffees were given lifetime appointments, and 'forgot' to choose replacements for those who died.

The upshot of all that are lists.
The Hearth Tax lists are at Kew PRO, and giving me fun now.
The Overseers and Trustees lists are at Gloucester in various books and bundles of papers - gave me fun May-July.
I notice there is a group of people who fall between the lists - not rich enough to pay Poor rate taxes, and not poor enough to get charity money. These seem to be the ones who have a chance of getting an 'extraordinary' payment from the Overseers when a crisis occurs.

I have been surprised at the fact that most of my families obtained from the Baptisms Marriages and Burials also appear over the 60 years I have made dips each few years to do a survey.

Another aspect of life the Overseers were involved in was health - they paid widows to care for the sick, midwives to deliver babies, put children into care, and even sent for an expert in times when the local medical officer could not cure the patient. Then if needed they paid the various costs relating to the deaths.

Hope I have made it a bit clearer,
Elizabeth