Piece
See MH 82/12
Catalogue reference: MH 82/49
Date: 1954 Sept 16-1956 Nov 15
See MH 82/12
Item
Folios 409-416. Letter from George Spencer, Clerk to the Guardians of the Keighley...
Catalogue reference: MH 12/15158/189
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This record is about the Folios 409-416. Letter from George Spencer, Clerk to the Guardians of the Keighley... dating from 28 June 1842 in the series Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and.... It is held at The National Archives, Kew.
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Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- MH 12/15158/189
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Date (When the record was created)
- 28 June 1842
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Description (What the record is about)
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- Content
- Folios 409-416. Letter from George Spencer, Clerk to the Guardians of the Keighley Poor Law Union, to the Poor Law Commissioners acknowledging receipt of their letter together with copies of the reports of Charles Mott and John Walsham [Assistant Commissioners, Poor Law Commission] on the state of Keighley Poor Law Union and enclosing a reply which was composed at an extraordinary meeting of the guardians. A copy of the reply has also been sent to W B Ferrand MP, Chairman of Keighley Poor Law Union. Included: an account of the extraordinary meeting of the Guardians of Keighley Poor Law Union held on 27 June 1842 which had been called to discuss the reports on the state of the union by Charles Mott [Assistant Poor Law Commissioner] made after his visit in April 1842 [but not received by the guardians until 26 June 1842] and by John Walsham [Assistant Commissioner, Poor Law Union] after his visit on 8 June 1842. Walsham held a mainly favourable opinion of the conduct of the guardians but severely criticised the state of the workhouses. Charles Mott made accusations against the guardians, which have been commented on by every newspaper in the Kingdom, that they were not acting according to the law and the directions of the Poor Law Commission, that relief was granted contrary to regulations, that the workhouses were not organised correctly or subject to discipline and that all the errors inherent in the practice of the Old Poor Law were continuing. The first general order issued by the Poor Law Commission under the New Poor Law Act required the establishment of the Keighley Poor Law Union and the board of guardians. The first Chairman of the guardians was William Ellis JP who served until March 1840 and afterwards attended meetings in an ex officio capacity together with Frederick Greenwood [ex Vice-chairman], Joseph Greenwood and Edwin Greenwood [ex Vice-chairman]. The account contains a summary of the terms of the Poor Law which came into force on 18 June 1838 and particularly includes the 21st Article of the Order which states that poor relief should follow the provisions of Statute 43 Eliz c 2. Of the other orders, one applied to workhouses whereas the houses in Keighley and Bingley were poorhouses, and the last order, which did not come into force until 10 June 1842, related to the outdoor labour test. This was accompanied by a letter signed by Edwin Chadwick [Secretary to the Poor Law Commission] to say that the order covered certain Northern unions which previously had been unregulated. At the first meeting of the Board newly elected in March 1842 chaired by James Hulbert in the absence of W B Ferrand [Chairman], Mr Metcalfe had raised the question of outdoor relief which had been granted under article 21 at the discretion of the guardians. After discussion it was decided to seek direction from the Poor Law Commission as to whether relief could be given in money to able-bodied poor who were not in the workhouse. A letter with this request was sent to Somerset House on 5 April 1842 but no reply had been received. The guardians had, therefore, continued to give relief to distressed able-bodied poor in money, but not to pay rents as stated by Charles Mott, nor were they influenced by the magistrates as had been implied. The situation in Keighley could not be compared with that in Southern England, where farmers were employing labour full-time for inadequate wages, thus compelling farm workers to ask for relief from their parish and thereby subsidising the farmers. In the manufacturing towns in the North the depressed state of the woollen and cotton trade meant that workers were employed for part of the week only. In these circumstances the guardians would consider paying relief if the family income was less that one shilling and sixpence per head per week. A disinclination on the part of the rector of Keighley to share pastoral care of the residents of the workhouse with dissenting ministers, most of the residents being dissenters, has led to there being no visits from a Church of England minister. The guardians anticipated the start of the new labour test by providing employment on the highways and in preparing ground for cultivation at the Keighley Workhouse. The guardians wish to comply with the law and also to respect authority, but they cannot agree that Charles Mott's account is a true statement of affairs and take particular exception to the implication that some of the actions of the preceding guardians were designed to provoke litigation which would be to the advantage of the legal profession. The guardians do not agree with Charles Mott's statement that paupers have no legal right to demand relief and consider that the Vagrancy Act is sufficient to deal with ineligible claims. The construction of a workhouse, which would be unoccupied when trade recovered, is deemed unnecessary. The guardians had interviewed the master of the Keighley Workhouse and agree that Sir John Walsham's statements were justified to some extent but the remark that 'the dead companioned the living' must not be taken to mean that dead and living people occupied the same bed. The guardians had visited the Keighley Poorhouse in May to see what improvements could be made so that it could function more effectively as a poorhouse. The beds and bedding were clean on that occasion and the paupers were satisfied with the conditions. The beds are left unmade and open during the day for sanitary reasons. The guardians are of the opinion that any alterations should be decided on by them, taking into consideration the recommendations of the Medical Officers, and the guardians will decide whether or not to submit another plan. There has not been an outbreak of fever or infectious disease in either poorhouse for several years. The guardians therefore seek approval from the Poor Law Commission for the alterations included in the plan already submitted to it and ask that the union may be exempted from the labour test so that the granting of relief may be carried out at the guardians' discretion. Signed: James Hulbert [Vice-chairman}, Francis Butterfield, Richard Metcalfe, Abraham Shackleton, David Mitchell, John Walker, Richard Laycock, Joshua Cowling, John Middlebrook, Joshua Craven, Joseph Heaton. Annotated: the report enclosed in this letter was sent to the Chairman of the Committee of the House of Commons, 4 July 1842. Paper Number: 8649/B/1842. Poor Law Union Number 571. Counties: Yorkshire West Riding.
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
- Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
- English
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Closure status (Whether the record is ‘open’ (available to the public) or ‘closed’ (not available due to a legal exemption))
- Open Document, Open Description
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C10560167/
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MH 12
Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and...
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Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and...
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Within the piece: MH 12/15158
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Folios 409-416. Letter from George Spencer, Clerk to the Guardians of the Keighley...
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