Searchers in Early Modern London

The term "searchers" refers to women hired by parishes in London to examine corpses and determine the cause of people's deaths. Statistics concerning these matters were then turned in to parish officials for use in publishing official Bills of Mortality. Searchers existed primarily in London, England where they were first appointed during the plague outbreaks around 1568. They continued work through the early modern period until the Registration Act of 1836 as important figures, although they were often neglected in documentation as their credibility became oftentimes questioned during the 17th Century.^[1] This Act called for all births, deaths, and marriages in England to be documented. ^[2]

Risks in Recording Deaths

Willingly living in London during the Great Plague of London time period was not a popular choice for a majority of people. Those who could afford to leave the city left, avoiding the street processions and carts of dead mass graves. In general, poor, older women who refused to care for the sick in other capacities at this time through occupations such as midwifery were assigned to the gruesome task of searching.^[3] These women were sometimes coerced or bribed to document alternative causes of death for victims of the plague as family members in their households did not want the inconvenience of quarantine of the entire house.^[4]

Searchers were not trained for the job most times, and their duties posed serious personal health risks to those involved due to the frequent possibility of serious contagion. Their responsibilities were later divided from one of identifying plague victims into three main categories - those who determined if a sickness was associated with the plague, those who cared for the sick, and those who viewed corpses to attempt linking death to specific diseases.^[3] Searchers were required to live outside of common areas, to practice indoors, and to hold white sticks indicating who they were when in public.^[4] Additionally, they were not allowed to take on additional jobs and ultimately had to live off of what they were provided.

Wages & Women Involved

Wages for searchers were typically earned per body, indicating that the women in this profession received a greater income during seasons of major epidemics. An average rate during the Elizabethan period was around 2d. to 4d. per body, but different parishes offered varied amounts. Additionally, these women were not allowed to take on additional jobs and ultimately had to live off of what they were provided. new Searchers who had worked for a long time period, like Goody Richardson, could be allotted a raise for their services.

Some examples of recognized searchers include Goodwife Pattson, who worked for St. Antholin Budge Row from 1590-91 to 1597-98. She worked alongside others like Mother Bamford, Goodwife Tailor, Goodwife Atkinson, and Goodwife Hubble. Widow Hubble, who was also a midwife, of St. Antholin Budge Row, was especially regarded by the parish and ultimately established a rental agreement for a house that was owned by the church.^[1] Not all searchers were as fortunate, however. Critics like John Gaunt existed who were convinced that these women released unreliable and dishonest records. Despite criticism, searchers were instrumental in discovering symptoms associated with plague and helped to identify those affected.^[2]

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^ ^a ^b Harkness, Deborah E. (2008). "A View for the Streets: Women and Medical Work in Elizabethan London". Bulletin Of The History Of Medicine. 82: 52–85 – via History of Science, Technology & Medicine, EBSCOhost.
^ ^a ^b Forbes, Thomas R. (1974). "The Searchers". Bull, N.Y. Acad. Med. 50, no. 9: 1031–1036 – via National Library of Medicine.
^ ^a ^b Munkhoff, Richelle (1999). "Searchers of the dead: authority, marginality, and the interpretation of plague in England, 1574-1665". Gender And History. 11, no. 1: 1–29 – via History of Science, Technology & Medicine, EBSCOhost.
^ ^a ^b Bell, Walter George (1951). Hollyer, Belinda (ed.). The great Plague in London (folio society ed.). Folio society by arrangement with Random House. pp. 10–12.

[:0-1] Harkness, Deborah E. (2008). "A View for the Streets: Women and Medical Work in Elizabethan London". Bulletin Of The History Of Medicine. 82: 52–85 – via History of Science, Technology & Medicine, EBSCOhost.

[:3-2] Forbes, Thomas R. (1974). "The Searchers". Bull, N.Y. Acad. Med. 50, no. 9: 1031–1036 – via National Library of Medicine.

[:1-3] Munkhoff, Richelle (1999). "Searchers of the dead: authority, marginality, and the interpretation of plague in England, 1574-1665". Gender And History. 11, no. 1: 1–29 – via History of Science, Technology & Medicine, EBSCOhost.

[:2-4] Bell, Walter George (1951). Hollyer, Belinda (ed.). The great Plague in London (folio society ed.). Folio society by arrangement with Random House. pp. 10–12.

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