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The Poor Law Commission was a body established to administrate poor relief after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act (1834). The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 sometimes abbreviated to PLAA was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig The commission was made up of three commissioners who became known as "The Barshaws of Somerset House", their secretary and nine clerks or assistant commissioners. The commission lasted until 1847 when it was replaced by a Poor Law Board -- the Andover workhouse scandal being one of the reasons for this change. The Poor Law Board was established in the United Kingdom in 1847 as a successor body to the Poor Law Commission overseeing the administration The Andover workhouse scandal occurred following events at the Workhouse in Andover, United Kingdom, in the 19th century

Edwin Chadwick, one of the writers of the 1832 Royal Commission hoped to become Commissioner but instead only got the post of Secretary. Sir Edwin Chadwick (24 January 1800&ndash6 July 1890 was an English social reformer noted for his work to reform the Poor Laws and improve sanitary conditions This caused clashes with the Poor Law Commissioners. This was one reason why the Poor Law Commission was eventually abolished -- there was too much infighting within the organisation.

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The Poor Law Commission was independent of Parliament. This made it vulnerable to criticism from those inside Parliament. In the parishes the commissioners were almost universally hated[1]. The Commission had the power to issue directives but there was no way to make parishes do what the Commission wanted them to do. The Commission however did have powers over dietaries for the workhouse and it could veto appointments to Boards of Guardians -- therefore making it difficult for the parishes that opposed it. Boards of Guardians were Ad hoc authorities that administered Poor Law in the United Kingdom from 1835 to 1930

Implementation of the Poor Law

Edwin Chadwick, the Secretary to the Poor Law Commission, wanted the New Poor Law to be implemented at first in the north of England where, at that time, there were few economic problems: employment was high and food was plentiful. [2]

But the narrow base of the economy posed the problem that unemployment could fluctuate wildly. This made implementation of the Act difficult as it was a physical impossibility to built a workhouse which could hold the large numbers affected by cyclical employment.

James Kay-Shuttleworth, an Assistant Commissioner supported the introduction of the Poor Law Amendment Act in the North and believed that pauperism was caused by the "recklesness (sic) and improvidence of the native population [and the] barbarism of the Irish. "[3]

Poor Law Commissioners, 1834-1847

References

  1. ^ Poverty and Public Health 1815-1948 by Rosemary Rees
  2. ^ The anti-Poor Law campaign
  3. ^ The anti-Poor Law campaign
Sir Thomas Frankland Lewis 1st Baronet ( 14 May 1780 – 22 January 1855) was a British Poor Law Commissioner. George Nicholls (1781-1865 was a British Poor Law Commissioner after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act. Sir George Cornewall Lewis 2nd Baronet ( 21 April 1806 &ndash 13 April 1863) was a British statesman and Man of letters Sir Edmund Walker Head 8th Baronet, KCB (Wiarton Place near Maidstone February 16, 1805 &ndash January 28, 1868 Edward Turner Boyd Twistleton was a British Poor Law Commissioner between 1845 and 1847
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