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Why is she "Poor"?

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Sarah

Sarah Report 3 Jun 2003 10:29

Can anyone help? I found the following quote for one of my ancestors in the register of corrected entries "the Sheriff Court of Glasgow upon the 24th Day of July 1889 found that the said child was the illegitimate child of the said Poor Roseann Smith and Samuel Rogers." What I'd really like to know is why the mother of the child is referred to as "Poor"? Is it just a term applied because she's obviously an unmarried mother? Could it indicate that she was in the poor house? Does anyone know the actual origin of this term or has anyone else come across its use. Thanks Sarah