Various

Parish officials were responsible for early forms of local government as well as administration of the church. In Edmonton, overseers of the poor were first mentioned in 1639. One overseer was appointed for each of the four wards. Parish vestry meetings had begun by 1739 and included a workhouse committee which comprised the trustees, the vicar, churchwardens, overseers and elected parishioners. The committee administered poor relief, providing money or goods to paupers. It appears that the poor were admitted to the workhouse as a last resort, while poor children were apprenticed.

Source of information: 'Edmonton: Local government', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 175-179 (available online).