Poverty Glossary

Question 1

Pauperism

Answer 1

Refers to anyone who is in receipt of state provided relief under the poor laws

Question 2

Indigent

Answer 2

The ‘deserving poor’ who are unable to work due to disability

Question 3

Parish

Answer 3

Small territorial area divided for the purpose of administration

Question 4

Poor relief

Answer 4

Assistance given by government or other bodies to alleviate the impact of poverty

Question 5

Self help

Answer 5

Encourage self improvement, to work hard to avoid becoming impoverished

Question 6

Poor-house

Answer 6

A government run facility to support and provide housing for the deserving poor

Question 7

Able-bodied poor

Answer 7

‘Deserving unemployed’ physically fit but unable to work

Question 8

Indoor relief

Answer 8

People looked after in poor houses

Question 9

Outdoor relief

Answer 9

Clothes, food or money, jobs to work outside

Question 10

Labour rate

Answer 10

Paid money into separate fund to be used to pay paupers when they are employed in the parish

Question 11

Poor rate

Answer 11

Tax from property owners

Question 12

Population in 1801

Answer 12

9 million

Question 13

Napoleonic wars

Answer 13

1793-1815 = series of major conflicts between the french empire and its allies against European powers into various coalitions

Question 14

Act of settlement 1662

Answer 14

Memberships of parishes were formalised by being born there, being a resident for a year and a day, moved there for an apprenticeship

Question 15

Roundsman system

Answer 15

Sold the labour of paupers to the local farmers or employers at a reduced cost

Question 16

Speenhamland system

Answer 16

System of wages of a single male applicant being made up to the cost of three loafs of bread

Question 17

Gilbert’s act 1782

Answer 17

Only orphaned children, those physically unable to work should be admitted

Question 18

Act for the regulation of parish committees 1818

Answer 18

Allowed the creation of parish committees to scrutinise relief giving, tightened up quality of relief

Question 19

Indolence

Answer 19

Laziness of general idleness

Question 20

Panopitican

Answer 20

A model prison by Jeremy Bentham in which a single guard would be able to watch the entire prison without the inmates knowing they were being watched

Question 21

Less eligibility

Answer 21

The concept of deliberately making poor relief harsh so that the only most destitute and those truly unable to help themselves would apply for it

Question 22

Poor law commission

Answer 22

Commissioners were in charge of management of the new poor law. Their remit included setting the new parish unions that were established to build new workhouses