Folio 161. Draft letter from the Poor Law Commissioners to Ner Gardiner, clerk to...

Folio 161. Draft letter from the Poor Law Commissioners to Ner Gardiner, clerk to Manchester Board of Guardians. For the information of the board, the Commissioners have been approached by Prestwich overseers with regard to their application of £50 for purchasing furniture and fixtures in the workhouse. It appears that the town is indebted to the estate of the late Mr Lyon for £600, the balance of which was charged to town's poor rate for building the workhouse which ought to have been liquidated. The workhouse having become of no use to Prestwich would be disposed of and out of the proceeds of the sale part of the debt will be paid off. But if the debt is a charge upon the rates, an order from the Commissioners alone will be required; but if not, there must be a meeting of the rate payers and overseers in Prestwich to comment under provisions of the Poor Relief Loans Act of 1838 (1 and 2 Victoria Cap 25)