Under the Poor Law Admendment Act of 7 & 8 Vict., c.101, s.11 (1844) clerks to petty sessional divisions were required to forward annually to the clerk of the peace lists of summons issued, applications heard and affiliation orders made; he was to preserve them, and to send certified copies Co the secretary of state. This Act was repealed by 21 & 22 Vict., c.67 (1858).
The returns contain the mothers' names, the results of the application, and the names of the putative fathers (in cases in which orders were made), but for some years only the numbers of summons and applications are given