How was the poor law commission set up? Flashcards
Why was a central poor law commissions established?
- it was established to administer the poor law amendment act throughout the country
- the commission worked in somerset house, London; there were 3 commissioners
Who were the 3 commissioners?
- Thomas F. Lewis
- George Nicholls
- John S. Lefevre
Who was Thomas F. Lewis?
- Tory MP actively involved in the Sturges- Bourne’s select committee 1817-18
Who was George Nicholls?
- retired sea captain
- Bank of England official
- radical overseer in Nottingham under old poor law
Who was John S. Lefevre?
- lawyer
- Whig MP
- under Secretary of State for war and colonies
Who was the commissions secretary?
- Edwin Chadwick
How many assistant commissioners assisted the commissioners and what was their job?
- the commissioners were assisted by nine assistant commissioners
- Their job was to make sure decisions made centrally were implemented at local level in the parishes
Was the commissions greatest strength, but also weakness?
- Was independent of Parliament
What did independence mean for the commission?
- independence meant that the commission had no spokesman in parliament to defend itself against the criticisms leveled against it by MPs
- outside parliament - impress, books, journals, songs, and broadcast - commissioners were lampooned, and in parishes were hated
What did the commission have?
- the commission had a powerful constitutional position as it had been established by Parliament
- but it didn’t have direct power that many people assumed it could wield
What could the commission do?
the commissioners could:
- issue directives
- draw up regulations and motion their implementation, but there was no mechanism for making parishes. Do what they were told to
- it could also veto appointments it thought unsuitable
- refuse to allow certain types of building
- set dietary for work houses
- centralize accounting procedures
- make life difficult for parishes that opposed the law
