Poor Law Commission
Encyclopedia
The Poor Law Commission was a body established to administrate poor relief after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
. The commission was made up of three commissioners who became known as "The Bashaws 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.
Edwin Chadwick
, one of the writers of the 1832 Royal Commission hoped to become Commissioner but instead only got the post of Secretary. 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.
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 build 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."
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 government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the country's poverty relief system . It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the...
. The commission was made up of three commissioners who became known as "The Bashaws 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
Poor Law Board
The Poor Law Board was established in the United Kingdom in 1847 as a successor body to the Poor Law Commission overseeing the administration of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act...
the Andover workhouse scandal being one of the reasons for this change.
Edwin Chadwick
Edwin Chadwick
Sir Edwin Chadwick KCB was an English social reformer, noted for his work to reform the Poor Laws and improve sanitary conditions and public health...
, one of the writers of the 1832 Royal Commission hoped to become Commissioner but instead only got the post of Secretary. 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.
Powers
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. 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.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.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 build 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."
Poor Law Commissioners, 1834-1847
- Thomas Frankland Lewis 1834-1839
- John George Shaw LefevreJohn George Shaw LefevreSir John George Shaw-Lefevre KCB , was a British barrister, Whig politician and civil servant.Shaw-Lefevre was the son of Charles Shaw-Lefevre by his wife Helen, daughter of John Lefevre. Charles Shaw-Lefevre, 1st Viscount Eversley, was his elder brother...
1834-1841 - George NichollsGeorge Nicholls (British Commissioner)George Nicholls was a British Poor Law Commissioner after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act. He had been an Overseer of the Poor under the old system of poor relief.-References:...
1834-1847 - George Cornewall LewisGeorge Cornewall LewisSir George Cornewall Lewis, 2nd Baronet PC was a British statesman and man of letters.-Family:He was born in London, the son of Thomas Frankland Lewis of Harpton Court, Radnorshire and his wife Harriet Cornewall...
1839-1847 - Sir Edmund Walker HeadEdmund Walker HeadSir Edmund Walker Head, 8th Baronet, KCB was British colonial administrator.He was born at Wiarton Place, near Maidstone, Kent, the son of Reverend Sir John Head, 7th Bt. and Jane Head. He was educated at Winchester College and Oriel College, Oxford. He succeeded to his father's title in 1838...
1841-1847 - Edward Turner Boyd TwistletonEdward Turner Boyd TwistletonEdward Turner Boyd Twistleton was a British Poor Law Commissioner between 1845 and 1847. He lost his role when the Poor Law Commission was abolished and replaced with a Poor Law Board....
1845-1847