The 1697 Settlement Act meant that strangers to a parish had to have a certificate issued by the legal place of settlement and which showed they could be returned to that place if they became a burden on the parish by claiming poor relief.

The sixty four instances in the table below are those that survive for Great Harwood and which are kept at Lancashire Archives, document reference PR 143.

The most pertinent information from each certificate only is included. The example for John Smith, set out here, is representative of the style of the majority of the documents.

Whereas John Smith and Jennet his wife as Poor Persons Legally settled and belonging in Our Town of Clayton in the Moors in the said County But for their better convenience of living are desireous to reside in Great Harwood in the County aforesaid.

Therefore we the Church Wardens and Overseers of the Poor of Clayton aforesaid Do promise to receive the said John Smith and Jennet his Wife when They or their Child or Children become Chargeable to the Township of Harwood aforesaid Unless they acquire a Legall Settlement Elsewhere. AS witness our hands and seals this Fifteenth day of December One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty One.

Witness:
Wm. Shuttleworth
John Smith
Thomas Smith

Chr. Roberts C:Warden
Jo. Coward Overseer of the Poor

YEAR NAME SURNAME PLACE OF ORIGIN NOTES
1729 Nathaniel Aspden Simonstone Mary his wife, Thomas, William, Elizabeth and Ann their children.
1741 William Aspden Mitton, Henthorn and Coldcoats Martha his wife, Elizabeth, Mary, Margery, Thomas and Nathaniel their children.
1713 John Aspinall Wilpshire Elizabeth his wife and his children.
1744 John Barrett Billington Isabel his wife, James, Richard, Sarah and John their children.
1741 Jno. Blackburn Cuerden Ann his wife, and any child or children all ready begotton or hereafter to be begotten.
1741 Henry Bradshaw Clitheroe Anne his wife and William their son.
1742 Thomas Bradshaw Clayton le Moors Elizabeth his wife and William, Elizabeth, Mary, John, Thomas, Alice, Henry, Ann and Ellin their children.
1745 William Bradshaw Clitheroe Anne his wife, Alice, Susanna, Mary, James and Thomas their children.
1747 William Bradshaw Clayton le Moors Elizabeth his wife.
1741 John Briggs Clitheroe John Briggs the younger, Ellen his wife, Elizabeth their daughter.
1699 James Brown Blackburn and family
1705 Andrew Brown Holme, Westmorland Agnas his wife and Edward their son.
1748 James Burton Rishton Susannah his wife. Note added in 1759 that Susannah now living with her father in the Forrest of Pendle.
1734 Thomas Chatburn Rishton Catharine his wife
1757 George Chatburn Burnley Elizabeth his wife and Thomas, George and Betty their children.
1746 James Critchley Altham Sarah his wife.
1747 Joseph Dean Billington Ann his wife and Mary their child.
1746 Thomas Duxberry Rishton Jane his wife, John, Ann, Thomas, James and Mary their children.
1743 John Duxbury Rishton Dorothy his wife.
1745 John Duxbury Rishton Elizabeth his wife, Ann, Elizabeth and Catherine their children.
1748 James Duxbury Rishton Sarah his wife and Roger and Easther their children.
Peter Edmondson Samsbury Agnes his wife and Margret their daughter.
1759 Richard Etough Hapton Mary his wife, Thomas and Isabel their children.
1758 Henry Forrest Little Mitton, Coldcoats Margret his wife.
1718 Robert Giles Almondbury Spelt Giels. His wife and children.
1723 John Greenwood Heptonstall, County of York. Margret his wife.
1739 George Hanson New Accrington Mary his wife and Lawrence and Elizabeth his children poor persons.
1744 Henry Haworth Clayton Husbandman and Ann his wife, James, John, Alice and George their children.
1732 John Heap Little Marsden Johanna his wife and William his son.
1733 James Hindle Halifax Elis his wife
1742 Robert Hindle Billington Grace his wife, John his child.
1744 Thomas Holgate Clayton le Dale Weaver. Ellen his wife and their children.
1757 John Howarth Philly Close, Reedley Hollows. Mary his wife and Mary, Alice, John, James and George their children.
1748 William Kellett Clayton le Dale Margret his wife and Robert, William and Jennet their sons and daughter.
1747 Rachel Kenyon Billington John, Ann, Alice and Joseph her children.
1711 John Marcer Sowerby, West Riding Mary his wife, and children ‘if they happen to have any’.
1708 Richard Mercer Soyland, West Riding Son of Robert Mercer of Great Harwood. Carpenter. His wife and children.
1712 Edward Mercer Midgeley, Ebor. Elizabeth his wife.
1732 Ann Mercer Walton le Dale And sons John, Edward and Thomas – father dead John Mercer
1736 Robert Mercer Midgeley Elizabeth his wife.
1749 William Morris Rishton Ellen his wife, Roger and William Morris his sons and Aoles Morris his daughter.
1739 John Ormerod Dinckley Alice his wife, Lawrance his sons, Alice and Mary his daughters.
1745 Peter Piccop Wiswell Jennet his wife and Peter their son
1733 William Rig alias Sawrey Undermillbeck Westmorland A bastard child. A letter to any town accepting responsibility.
1750 Thomas Roberts Altham Alice his wife, Mary, Christopher, George and Alice.
1727 Thomas Shaw Billington Ailes his wife, Joannah, Ailes, Jane and John their children.
1741 John Smith Clayton le Moors Jennet his wife, poor persons.
1744 William Smith Clayton Alice his wife, James and Mary their children poor persons.
1731 Richard Standen Altham Martha his wife, John, Richard, William, Mary and Thomas their children being poor persons legally settled in Altham.
1749 James Tattersall Haslingden Ellin his wife and family of children.
1746 Henry Taylor Oswaldtwistle Mary his wife.
1747 John Tompson Billington Elizabeth his wife, Anne, Michael and John their children.
1741 John Walmsley Oswaldtwistle Ellen his wife, John, Robert, Jane, Hannah, Elizabeth their children poor persons.
1742 Edward Walmsley Mellor Alice his wife and Anne his daughter.
1747 Edward Walmsley Mellor Alice his wife and Anne his daughter.
1714 John Warren Clayton le Dale His wife and his issue.
1752 John Warren Rishton Alice his wife and Elizabeth their child
1704 Giles Whitehead Altham Margaret his wife
1729 James Whitehead Billington Grace his sister.
1729 John Wilkinson Hapton Elizabeth his wife and John and Henry their sons.
1737 Samuel Wilson Colne Jane his wife, and his family.
1705 Thomas Wolsendale Billington Martha his wife and Martha and  Alice their daughter
1756 John Wolstenholme Clayton le Moors Mary his wife, James, John and Benjamin their children.
1753 John Wright Crumpsall Sarah his wife, Richard, William and Alice their children.