Dates Flashcards
Swing riots occurred…
1830/31
Labour Rate
1832
Reform act
1832
What did the 1832 reform act do?
Increased the vote from 5%-8%
Middle classes received the vote
The Great Betrayal - used the working class
1st Royal Commission
1832 - nationwide survey long term concerns about poor relief
What did the 1832 royal commission recommend?
In order to save money and improve efficiency:
- separate workhouses
- parishes should be grouped into unions to provide for workhouses
- all outdoor relief should stop
- less eligibility
- new central authority (powers to make and enforce regulations concerning the workhouse)
Poor law amendment act
1834
What did the 1834 poor law amendment act do:
- no outdoor relief
- central authority to control and enforce regulations (Poor Law Commission)
- setting up of workhouses (1 per union)
- less eligibility (conditions should be worse than lowest paid job - to encourage people to get a job)
1st chartist petition
1839
Outdoor labour test order
1842
Relief given in exchange for manual work
2nd chartist petition
1842
Outdoor prohibitory order
1844
Outdoor relief illegal for able-bodied
Andover scandal
1845 Hampshire- starving paupers Sucking bone marrows Children and women beaten Min. Spent on food McDougal
Poor law board
1847-71
Removed poor law commission, as commissioners were becoming heavily criticised 1846-47
What did the poor law board do?
Government now recognises cant trust non-governing bodies (reduction of laissez faire)
Now responsible for overseeing POVERTY NOT WORKHOUSES
Challenges of poor law board:
Funding - cost increases as the standard of living increases
Rapid population increases in w/houses
Conflict - outdoor relief cheaper to fund
Growing recognition of aged, inform and young - no choice
District schools act
1848
Unions combined to provide district schools allowing pauper children to be educated outside workhouses
3rd chartist petition
1848
Public dispensaries
1850
Medicine for general public including paupers
Associated society of engineers (ASE) first trade union:
1851
Rise of skilled workers create trade unions
No opposition, they wanted to contribute to society not cause trouble
Skilled - harder to replace if fired
Chartist movement collapsed
1852
Couldn’t afford to keep it going
Outdoor relief regulation order
1852
Restrictions relaxed on certain cases such as the sick, aged and widows
US cotton famine
1862
Damaged UK cotton industry
Out of work entered workhouses, and received outdoor relief
Public works act
1863
Work schemes for poor
Recognition of economic disaster
Union chargeability act
1865
Shifted the cost of poor relief from the parish to the union
Metropolitan poor act
1867
All London unions required to provide hospital accommodation on separate sites from workhouse
2nd reform act
1867
Vote to skilled working class (artisans)- eases the tension, aspired to be like middle class - reduced the risk of revolution
8%-16%
Politicians now had to pay attention to their problems
Forster’s education act
1870
Mix workhouse children with non-workhouse children in external schools
Poor law board ends
1871
Local government act
1871 Local authorities independent Disapproved outdoor relief Emigration schemes Work schemes More humane treatment of paupers
Why were the 1860s/70s such a fundamental time?
Fundamental shift Middle classes get a grip Making of modern Britain Society from agricultural to industrial Rise of the empire Navy maintained it
Increase in population due to:
Medical improvements
Improvement in living conditions
Improved wages
Slightly improved diet
How did the local government board affect the poor?
-advised boards of guardians to divide up paupers in their workhouses according to what caused there poverty - ‘comfort’ for each category, most deserving received the most
Increase in population overcame by:
Public works act 1863
Set up work schemes for paupers by borrowing money
How did the LGB reduce outdoor relief?
Issued circular disapproving of outdoor relief
Supported local authorities who took a harsh line
Encouraged emigration schemes
Advised local authorities to set up schemes
