Oct 18, 2003 the framing of the 1834 poor law amendment act highlights in itself the misconceptions about poverty and the povertystricken in nineteenth century britain. The social and economic changes at this time produced many problems for those that were responsible for the social welfare. Issn 15533697 it is advisable to refer to the publishers version if you intend to cite from the work. Dec 10, 2010 the 1834 act embodied the ideology of the political economists but it could be presented by its opponents as an abuse of the poor. The reality and perception of the poor law amendment act. It was preceded by a royal commission that produced a plethora of evidence to support its recommendations. The 1834 poor law amendment act was ruthlessly and efficiently enforced in rural southern england as soon as it was passed, and was exceedingly unpopular.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. List of mentions of the poor law amendment act 1866 in parliament in the period 1803 to 2005. The poor law amendment act of 1834 an act for the amendment and better administration of the laws relating to the poor in england and wales is one of the most significant pieces of social legislation in british history. The poor law in 1834 a new poor law was introduced. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on monday, april, 2015. The new poor law ensured that the poor were housed in workhouses, clothed and fed. Some treatment of the nature, types and extent of poverty, as well as issues related to industrialisation, is already assumed. The poor law amendment act was quickly passed by parliament in 1834, with separate legislation for scotland and ireland. An act to amend the english law extent of application act. The poor law amendment act 1834 plaa, known widely as the new poor law, was an act of the parliament of the united kingdom passed by the whig government of earl grey. Their work attracted a lot of attention and was used to develop the poor law amendment act of 1834, known as the new poor law. Prior to 1834, the relief of poverty was left in the hands of individual parishes but this system was deemed to be badly organised and it was thought that it led to idleness among the poor. The poor law commissioners were in charge and the government paid for union workhouses. It was arguably one of the most important and draconian pieces of legislation, definitely a measure of tough love.
Students should already have encountered the poor law of 1815 in order to understand the rationale that underpinned the poor law amendment act introduced in 1834. Purdy, principal of the statistical department, poor law. Poor law amendment act 1834 economics bibliographies. The poor relief act 1662 14 car 2 c 12 was an act of the cavalier parliament of england. Parishes were grouped together in unions that were administered by the following authorities. The only cure was for them to be put in workhouses and treated badly. The act grouped parishes into unions under 600 locally elected boards of guardians and each of those boards had its own workhouse. The poor law amendment act of 1834 was the classic example of the whig and utilitarian reforming legislation of the period 183141. The poor law of 1601 made each parish responsible for its own poor. It was framed after the production of the report of a royal commission and received general parliamentary support.
The poor law commission of 1832 decided to amend the previous poor laws, for they were too liberal and did not implement discipline into the poor. Under the new poor law, parishes were grouped into unions and each union had to build a workhouse if they did not already have one. It implemented a major overhaul of the old poor law by adopting all the commissions main recommendations. The poor law amendment act of 1834 was a measure of major im portance, both as an administrative innovation and because of its social effects. Nassau william senior, poor law commissioners report of 1834.
In 1834 the poor law amendment act was passed, it hoped to. An act for the amendment and better administration of the laws relating to the poor in england and wales. The poor law in nineteenthcentury scotland springerlink. How far did the 1834 poor law amendment act achieve its aims by 1841. The boards were controlled by the poor law commission also established by the 1601 act, which was responsible for administering the new. The poor law amendment of 1834 was introduced to combat the widespread poverty on the streets of england and to provide relief to the poor. Implementing and administering the new poor law in the. A poor law commission a new government department, in effect was set up in london employing inspectors to. The effect of those orders, before 1834, was to give a remedy against the goods and the person of the putative father. The poor law amendment act 1834, inspired by utilitarian and malthusian principles its architects were edwin chadwick and nassau william senior, both disciples of jeremy bentham, the founder of utilitarianism, was based on notions of discipline and frugality. The poor laws of 1834 centralised the existing workhouse system to cut the costs of poor relief and discourage perceived laziness. Relief under the old poor law could take on of two forms indoor relief, relief in. The aims and principles of the 1834 poor law amendment act.
The reality and perception of the poor law amendment act new poor law of 1834 on the working class and poor in the township of huddersfield. Many unions refused to reform their old workhouse or construct a new one out of. This was harsh legislation which said, in effect, that if people were poor, it was entirely their own fault. They resulted in the infamous workhouses of the early victorian period. In the autumn of 1834, three commissioners were appointed to adnminister the act, who, under the style of the poor law commissioners for. The poor law amendment act of 1834 provided for all poor relief to be delivered by the workhouse system. Ebook or pdf edited book email encyclopedia article govt. Some people welcomed it because they believed it would.
Outline of the poor law amendment act senior, nassau william on. Outline of the new poor law amendment act the british. The system of providing support to the poor was overhauled by the poor law amendment act 1834, dubbed the new poor law. Useful for pupils to revise key information or to fill in gaps if they have been absent. The purpose of the act was to establish the parish to which a person belonged i. Poor law amendment act 1834 economics bibliographies cite. The 1834 poor law amendment act was one of the causes of northern chartism.
Chadwick, the prime force behind the poor law amendment act, was only appointed as secretary to the poor law board. The poor law amendment act 1834, sometimes abbreviated to plaa, 1 was an act of the parliament of the united kingdom passed by the whig government of lord melbourne that reformed the countrys poverty relief system with the exception of scotland, which reformed their poor law in 1845. Hansard 18032005 acts p poor law amendment act 1866 11 other acts called poor law amendment act section mentions house date. The poor law amendment act 1834 plaa known widely as the new poor law, was an act of the parliament of the united kingdom passed by the whig government of earl grey. The national archives education service 1834 poor law. The ministry of health archives in the public record office include in the poor law papers a very large and valuable source for the social history of nineteenth century britain.
Whereas it is expedient to alter and amend the laws relating to the relief of poor persons in england and wales. In 1834 the poor law amendment act was passed, it hoped to change some of the principles of the old poor law. I am bound to say, that from the first enforcement of that act, public opinion was divided. Poor relief was paid for by a parish rate levied by the overseers of the poor. After years of complaint, a new poor law was introduced in 1834. Proportion of population in receipt of relief in english counties during the quarter 66.
The poor law amendment act of 1834 was a measure of major importance, both as an administrative innovation and because of its social effects. It completely replaced earlier legislation based on the poor law of 1601 and attempted to fundamentally change the poverty relief system in england and wales scotland made similar changes to its poor law in 1845. Introduction to the poor law act mb the poor law amendment act of 1834 was a classic example of benthamite reforming legislation. Outline of the new poor law amendment act the british library. At a stroke, it swept away an accumulation of poorlaws going back half a millennium, and replaced them with a national. The new law introduced an administrative revolution since. It achieved its immediate aim of reducing the poor relief rate but could not produce a system of poor relief which was tenable in the long run, as it was socially unacceptable to the. Nov 14, 2008 how far did the 1834 poor law amendment act achieve its aims by 1841. The new poor law 18341929 the poor law amendment act 1834 the old poor law was finished and this new system took over, but not always at once. Sir charles napier and his troops were based in the north of england to deal with the chartist threat but napier was sympathetic towards them and blamed the poor law amendment act for much of the trouble.
Does anyone have an answer, or is the article incorrect. The poor law amendment act of 1834 flashcards quizlet. In addition to being unsourced, this statement is incredibly vague. In 1837 antipoor law propaganda reached its climax when attempts were made to form unions in the industrial north. It was an act for the better relief of the poor of this kingdom and is also known as the settlement act or the settlement and removal act. Workbook should be completed alongside this and using the britain 181551 textbook by dave martin. Poor law amendment act 1834 economics bibliographies in harvard style. This act may be cited as the english law extent of application amendment act, 2011, and shall be read as one with the english law extent of application act, in this act referred to as the principal act. The new legislation established workhouses throughout england and wales. In 1837 antipoor law propaganda reached its climax when attempts were made to form unions in.
Paupers were given papers which informed the workhouse of their details and allowed strict control of who entered the workhouse, which was especially important to prevent spread of disease. Their recommendations were, for the most part, embodied in the poor law amendment act 4 and 5 william iv, c. Prior to the poor law amendment act of 1834, poor relief was administered at parish or township level, financed by rates levied on local property. Article deserving of charity or deserving of better. How far did the poor law amendment act achieve its aims by 1841. The framing of the 1834 poor law amendment act highlights in itself the misconceptions about poverty and the povertystricken in nineteenth century britain. Lancashires poor law unions according to settlement type in 1860 21 2. One of the most farreaching pieces of legislation of the entire nineteenth century was the 1834 poor law amendment act plaa which abolished systems of poor relief that had existed since the passing of the elizabethan poor law of 1601. The radical reform of the poor laws in england and wales in 1834 created. The legislation received parliamentary support and passed into law with very little discussion. The new poor law was meant to reduce the cost of looking after the poor and impose a system which would be the same all over the country.
The act grouped parishes into unions under 600 locally elected boards of guardians, and each of those boards had its own workhouse. Resources are designed for the edexcel britain 181551 gcse syllabus unit 2a powerpoint presents the main points of the poor law before 1834. Presented to both houses of parliament by command of his majesty london. The poor law was the most important policy development dealing with poverty up until the end of the nineteenth century and it was a development, which focused in particular upon control and deterrence. The 1834 poor law amendment act led to immediate and visible economies and a rapid fall in the cost of relief in most areas because conditions deliberately were made harsh. Copy of the report made in 1834 by the commissioners for inquiring into the administration and practical operation of the poor laws. Dec 30, 2015 the expression the poor laws usually refers to two main laws.
It completely replaced earlier legislation based on the poor law of 1601 and attempted to fundamentally change the poverty relief system in england and wales similar changes were made to the poor law for scotland in 1845. The impact and effectiveness of the poor law amendment act 1834 flashcards from rachel silcocks class online, or in brainscapes iphone or android app. The five preston union relief district 28 chapter 1 1. The poor law amendment act 1834 sometimes abbreviated to plaa was an act of the parliament of the united kingdom passed by the whig government of lord melbourne that reformed the countrys poverty relief system. How far did the poor law amendment act achieve its aims by. The aims and principles of the 1834 poor law amendment act in the decades prior to the national reform of the poor law in 1834, the characterisations of the administration were of variety rather than uniformity. T he new poor law of 1834 did not apply to scotland and it was another eleven years before the existing arrangements for poor relief in the northern part of the united kingdom were reorganised.
The poor law amendment act 1834, amending what was known as the old poor lawand reflecting concerns about the burden of a growing population and a spiraling cost of poor relief under the old poor law. The new poor law ensured that the poor were housed in workhouses. In addition, the whig governments aim was to reduce public expenditure and make the poor more responsible for their own well. Poor law commissioners report of 1834 online library of. These are the sources and citations used to research poor law amendment act 1834. The expression the poor laws usually refers to two main laws. Voting on the zworkhouse question, preston union, 18421854 53 2. Before 1834, the cost of looking after the poor was growing more expensive every year.
It was an amendment act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the poor law of 1601. Without a reliable source the statement resembles an editors personal opinion and not a fact that can be included at this time. The 1834 act embodied the ideology of the political economists but it could be presented by its opponents as an abuse of the poor. It was the only form of social security known at the time. Antipoor law handbill, preston, 1842 57 chapter 2 1. Be it therefore enacted by the kings most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the. The continuing legacy of the 1834 poor law amendment act for britains deaf population. The poor law amendment act 1834 plaa known widely as the new poor law, was an act of the parliament of the united kingdom passed by the whig. Might as well clarify this, in case anyone gets confused. Relief under the old poor law could take on of two forms indoor relief, relief in side of a workhouse, or outdoor relief, relief. The new poor law 1834 1929 the poor law amendment act 1834 the old poor law was finished and this new system took over, but not always at once. At a stroke, it swept away an accumulation of poorlaws going back half a millennium, and replaced them with a national system for dealing.
521 1000 615 1498 115 1114 1432 1006 1072 1203 795 557 873 432 813 1547 1408 678 588 1174 1321 711 184 210 520 945 917 19 842 1420 259 331 1089 1109 249 251 1058 882 255 1029 307 1316 380 128 1282