Hampshire, Portsmouth, Portsea Island Rate Books

Search through over a million pages of poor rate books from as early as the 1700 through to the 1921. The books recorded the amount of rates paid at each property, ownership of the property, and its location in the parishes of Portsea and Portsmouth. Discover the history of your ancestral home, today.

With each record you will find a transcript of the vital facts and an image of the original rate poor. Many of the early books are in poor condition which may lead to transcription errors or vital details missing because they are not legible. Most of the transcripts will include the following facts:

  • Name
  • Role – whether owner or occupier
  • Year and month
  • House number and address
  • County and country
  • Occupier’s name
  • Occupier’s organisation
  • Owner’s name
  • Owner’s organisation
  • Archive and folio number

Image

The original images can provide you with even more information about your ancestor’s household including,

  • Description of property
  • Estimated rent
  • Amount of rates
  • Amount in arrears
  • Total to be collected

Poor rate books were records of the amount of rates paid and by whom. Rates were levied annually and collected from both property owners and occupiers. The money was used for local poor relief. The Poor Law Act of 1598 made the parish responsible for the poor. The original records are held at the Portsmouth History Centre.

Not all rate books survived. In 1744, an Act gave residents the right to inspect books, which meant that rate books were kept in better conditions; however, as populations grew and many more rate books were produced, local authorities destroyed some of the older records. In this specific collection, many of the early books are in poor condition which may lead to transcription errors and vital details missing because they are not legible.