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Poverty, Public Health and the State in Britain, c1780–1939

Reforming the Poor Law

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 3

Overview

Recall questions on the Royal Commission and the quality of its evidence, what the 1834 Act required, unions and guardians, and how unevenly it was implemented.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Process

What did the new Poor Law of 1834 establish?

Key term

Who dominated the Royal Commission of 1832?

Key term

How reliable was the Commission's evidence?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    How was poor relief organised before 1834?

    Model answer

    Through the parish, which raised a poor rate from ratepayers to relieve its own poor under the old Elizabethan Poor Law.

  2. 2

    What was the purpose of the Royal Commission of Enquiry set up in 1832?

    Model answer

    To investigate the operation and cost of the old Poor Law and recommend reform.

  3. 3

    What did the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 aim to do?

    Model answer

    To cut poor rates and discourage dependency by making relief for the able-bodied available mainly in the workhouse under deterrent conditions.

  4. 4

    How was the new Poor Law administered centrally?

    Model answer

    By the Poor Law Commission of three commissioners, with Edwin Chadwick as its secretary, overseeing local unions of parishes.

  5. 5

    Who dominated the Royal Commission of 1832?

    Model answer

    Nassau Senior and Edwin Chadwick, whose conclusions were largely settled before the evidence was collected.

  6. 6

    How reliable was the Commission's evidence?

    Model answer

    Poor: assistant commissioners asked leading questions, evidence came mainly from ratepayers and officials, and only a fraction of parishes were visited.

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