The Workhouse in Twenty Objects: The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act

Summary

In this video, Peter Higginbotham explores the historical significance of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, which reshaped the British poor relief system. The Act established the Poor Law Commissioners and created a more centralized approach to managing poverty, with the workhouse at the core of relief for the able-bodied poor. Although revolutionary in many ways, the Act was built on older traditions, such as parish-based support. The changes ushered in by the 1834 Act would profoundly affect the lives of England’s poor for over a century.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act was a key piece of legislation in British legal history, overhauling the existing poor relief system.
• 😀 The Act marked the end of the Old Poor Law system, which had been in place since 1601, and introduced the New Poor Law.
• 😀 It established the Poor Law Commissioners, a body with the power to oversee and manage poor relief across the country.
• 😀 The Act divided the country into Poor Law Unions, with each union managed by a board of guardians elected by local ratepayers.
• 😀 The primary goal of the new system was to control poor relief through workhouses, especially for the able-bodied poor.
• 😀 The Poor Law Commissioners could order the enlargement or construction of new workhouses, but required the consent of local ratepayers or guardians.
• 😀 The 1834 Act introduced the principle that workhouses would be the primary form of relief for able-bodied poor individuals.
• 😀 Although the 1834 Act was groundbreaking, some elements of the old system, such as funding from parish rates, were retained.
• 😀 The concept of grouping parishes and electing guardians to manage poor relief was not new but was reinforced under the new law.
• 😀 The Poor Law Amendment Act had a lasting impact on the treatment of poor people in England, shaping poor relief practices for the next century.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act?

The main purpose of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act was to overhaul the existing poor relief system in England, introducing a new structure for providing aid to the poor, which included the establishment of the Poor Law Commissioners and the creation of workhouses.

How did the 1834 Act change the way poor relief was administered?

The 1834 Act introduced a system where the country was divided into Poor Law Unions, each administered by a board of guardians elected by the local ratepayers. These boards were responsible for overseeing poor relief in their regions.

What role did the Poor Law Commissioners play in the new system?

The Poor Law Commissioners were responsible for overseeing the new poor relief system. They had the power to determine how poor people could receive aid, either through handouts or by entering a workhouse, and could also mandate the enlargement or construction of workhouses.

What was the basic principle behind the treatment of able-bodied poor people according to the 1834 Act?

The basic principle was that the able-bodied poor could only receive relief through the workhouse. This was the primary form of aid, and the workhouse system was central to the new poor relief approach.

Were there any conditions for building new workhouses under the 1834 Act?

Yes, under the 1834 Act, new workhouses could only be built with the consent of at least half of the Guardians or local ratepayers, which often led to delays in constructing new workhouses in some areas.

How did the 1834 Act relate to previous poor relief systems in England?

While the 1834 Act was revolutionary in many ways, some aspects were not entirely new. The poor were still supported through parish rates, a system that had been in place since the Elizabethan era, and the grouping of parishes and election of guardians was also an idea that predated the Act.

What impact did the 1834 Act have on the workhouse system?

The 1834 Act placed the workhouse at the heart of the poor relief system, especially for the able-bodied poor. It made the workhouse the main method for providing aid to those who were able to work but unable to support themselves.

Why was the 1834 Act considered a milestone in British legal history?

The 1834 Act was considered a milestone because it represented a major reform in how poor relief was managed in England, marking the shift from a parish-based system to a more centralized and formalized approach with the creation of Poor Law Unions and Commissioners.

What was the role of the Board of Guardians in the new system?

The Board of Guardians was responsible for administering poor relief within each Poor Law Union. They were elected by the local ratepayers and had authority over how the poor relief system operated within their jurisdiction.

How long did the 1834 Act influence the lives of poor people in England?

The 1834 Act had a profound impact on the lives of poor people in England for about a century, shaping the structure of poor relief and the treatment of the poor until the late 19th century.