Poor under Elizabeth Flashcards
Elizabeth’s Legislation to combat poverty- Poor Laws
1563 Relief of Poor Law
1563 Statue of Artificers
1572 Poor Law Act (original name the ‘Vagabonds Act’)
1576 Poor Law
What did the 1563 Relief of Poor Law do to the able bodied?
Punishments for vagrants/beggars still used. But payments for poor relief from local parishes became almost compulsory.
What did the 1563 Relief of Poor Law do to the impotent?
N/A
What did the 1563 Relief of Poor Law do to impact the poor?
Collectors of alms appointed by local leaders/JP’s for local parishes. Contributions became compulsory – imprisonment could be used for those who refused to pay a local poor relief payment.
What did the 1563 Statue of Artificers do to able bodied?
Tried to stop able-bodied vagrants moving around.
All males 12-16 below social rank of gentlemen (middle-class) had to actively look for work and NOT leave employment without permission.
Under 30’s if not married were forced to serve an employer during harvest time but also would have craftsmen training..
What did the 1563 Statue of Artificers do to impotent?
No real change-still registered and allowed to beg.
What did the 1563 Statue of Artificers do to impact the poor?
Stopping movements of vagrants (social order problem) and trying to secure them employment and ties to an employer.
Still not understanding the real causes of poverty and vagrancy.
What did the 1572 Vagabonds Act do to help the able-bodied?
Biggest change in attitude since 1547 vagrancy Act under Edward.
STILL punishment + deterrent – drilling hole thorough right ear or whipping.
BUT did recognise not enough work available for able-bodied poor. Recognition it was not just laziness.
Encouraged richer parishes to build ‘houses of correction’ for able-bodied poor.
What did the 1572 Vagabonds Act do to the impotent?
Licence to beg made harder – two JP’s had to sign paperwork -hard to get!
What did the 1572 Vagabonds Act do to impact the poor?
Biggest change in attitude since 1547 vagrancy Act under Edward.
Kept severe punishments BUT recognised able-bodied poor needed help with poor houses -not just the disabled poor.
Also saw poverty might be caused by lack of jobs!
What did the 1576 Poor Law do to the able-bodied?
Built on 1572 features – also ordered supplied of raw materials (wool, flax, iron) should be collected for the able-bodied poor to work on.
What did the 1576 Poor Law do to the impotent?
Licence remained to beg.
What did the 1576 Poor Law do to impact the poor?
As above- same as the Vagabonds Act!
