What was the poor law and Board of Guardian Records?
Poor law unions were organized around the largest town in an area and therefore often overstepped county boundaries. Each Poor Law Union that was established in England and Wales was presided over by an elected Board of Guardians. Each Union was to have its own workhouse.
What did Board of Guardians do?
Boards administered workhouses within a defined poor law union consisting of a group of parishes, either by order of the Poor Law Commission, or by the common consent of the parishes.
What is Ireland Poor Law of Guardian records?
About Ireland, Poor Law and Board of Guardian Records, 1839-1920. Historical Context. The Irish Poor Law Act of 1838 followed very closely the English Poor Law Act of 1834 and divided the country up into Poor Law Unions, centred on a workhouse, which became the main vehicle of assistance to the poor.
How do I find workhouse records?
Visit The Workhouse website to access extensive information about workhouses. The ‘records and resources’ section may help you find out which local archives hold workhouse records.
Are workhouse records online?
Few workhouse records are online, so the best place to start is often the County Record Office local to the institution. You will need to know roughly when your ancestor was in the workhouse and, if it was after 1834, which Poor Law Union their parish belonged to.
What is a pauper in England?
Pauperism (Lat. pauper, poor) is a term meaning poverty or generally the state of being poor, but in English usage particularly the condition of being a “pauper”, i.e. in receipt of relief administered under the English Poor Laws.
What are Poor Law removal and settlement records?
The Old Poor Law involved such records as examination papers, bastardy bonds, settlement papers, removal orders, and apprenticeships of poor children. Such records will also be found recorded in the county court known as Quarter Sessions that had both original and appellate jurisdiction.
What did the Poor Law 1601 do?
The Poor Law 1601 sought to consolidate all previous legislative provisions for the relief of ‘the poor’. The Poor Law made it compulsory for parishes to levy a ‘poor rate’ to fund financial support (‘public assistance’) for those who could not work.