Irish Poor Laws
Encyclopedia
The Irish Poor Laws were a series of Acts of Parliament intended to address social instability due to widespread and persistent poverty in Ireland. While some legislation had been introduced by the pre-Union Parliament of Ireland
prior to the Act of Union
, the most radical and comprehensive attempt was the Irish act of 1838, closely modelled on the English Poor Law of 1834. In England, this replaced Elizabethan era legislation which had no equivalent in Ireland.
The Irish Poor Law was enacted by the British Government in 1837 and gave powers to each Board of Guardians
to collect a Poor rate
as a form of taxation to support the local parish Union Workhouse.
Condition of the poorer classes in Ireland: first report: appendix A and supplement 1835 Whately report (1218 pages) available through EPPI.
List of Irish Workhouse Unions (Archived, 2008).
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
prior to the Act of Union
Act of Union 1800
The Acts of Union 1800 describe two complementary Acts, namely:* the Union with Ireland Act 1800 , an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain, and...
, the most radical and comprehensive attempt was the Irish act of 1838, closely modelled on the English Poor Law of 1834. In England, this replaced Elizabethan era legislation which had no equivalent in Ireland.
Pre-Union
In 1703 an Act of the Irish Parliament provided for the setting up of a House of Industry in Dublin to set the poor to work.Post-Unions
The workhouse system was established by the Irish Poor Law Act of 1838. Until then, the use of 'Houses of industry' was on a much smaller scale than in England and Wales.The Irish Poor Law was enacted by the British Government in 1837 and gave powers to each Board of Guardians
Board of Guardians
Boards of guardians were ad hoc authorities that administered Poor Law in the United Kingdom from 1835 to 1930.-England and Wales:The boards were created by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, replacing the parish Overseers of the Poor established under the old poor law, following the recommendations...
to collect a Poor rate
Poor rate
In England and Wales, under the 1601 Elizabethan Poor Law the poor rate was a tax on property levied on the parish which was used to provide poor relief to the parish poor. The tax was collected by local magistrates or Overseers of the Poor, and later by Local Authorities....
as a form of taxation to support the local parish Union Workhouse.
Emigration
During the Great Famine, workhouses became so overwhelmed that large numbers of paupers were assisted to emigrate. This had the effect of permitting more to enter the workhouse in the hope of escaping starvation and disease. In response, Guardian-assisted emigration was reserved only for those who had received indoor relief for over two years.After Irish Independence
Following independence, Boards of Guardians were replaced by County Boards of Health or County Boards of Public Assistance.Contemporary accounts
- Nassau William SeniorNassau William SeniorNassau William Senior , English economist, was born at Compton, Berkshire, the eldest son of the Rev. JR Senior, vicar of Durnford, Wiltshire.-Biography:...
- Letter...on a legal provision for the Irish poor (1831) - Poulett Scrope, GeorgeGeorge Julius Poulett ScropeGeorge Julius Poulett Scrope FRS was an English geologist and political economist as well as a magistrate for Stroud in Gloucestershire.He was the second son of J. Poulett Thompson of Waverley Abbey, Surrey...
Necessity of Poor Law for Ireland in Principles of political economy (1833) - English tourist, EG Inglis, visits Dublin's Mendicity Institute, House of Industry and Foundling Hospital (1834)
- Selection of Parochial Examinations Relative to the Destitute Classes in Ireland Royal Commission of Enquiry (1835)
- George Nicholls - Poor laws--Ireland: Three reports (1838)
- Torrens, RobertRobert Torrens (economist)Colonel Robert Torrens was a Royal Marines officer, political economist, MP, owner of the influential Globe newspaper and prolific writer.Born in Ireland, son of Protestant Robert Torrens of Hervey Hill....
Plan of an association in aid of the Irish Poor Law (1838) - Poulett Scrope, George - Letters to the Right Hon. Lord John Russell, on the expediency of enlarging the Irish poor-law to the full extent of the poor-law of England (1846)
19th Century
- O'Connor, John The Workhouses of Ireland: The Fate of Ireland's Poor 1995 : ISBN 9780947962715
- Crossman, Virginia Politics, Pauperism and Power in Late Nineteenth-century Ireland : 2006 : ISBN 9780719073779
- Burke, Helen The people and the poor law in 19th century Ireland : 1987 : ISBN 9780905223940
- *Butt, IsaacIsaac ButtIsaac Butt Q.C. M.P. was an Irish barrister, politician, Member of Parliament , and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist parties and organisations, including the Irish Metropolitan Conservative Society in 1836, the Home Government Association in 1870 and in 1873 the Home...
The poor-law bill for Ireland examined, its provisions and the report of Mr. Nicholls contrasted ... (1837) at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
. - MacDonagh, Oliver : The Poor Law, Emigration and the Irish Question 1830-'55 : in Christus Rex - Studies in Irish History : January, 1958
- Gray, Peter The Making of the Irish Poor Law, 1815-43 MUPManchester University PressManchester University Press is the university press of the University of Manchester, England and a publisher of academic books and journals. Manchester University Press has developed into an international publisher...
2009 ISBN 9780719076497 - Collison Black, R.D - Economic Thought and the Irish Question 1817-1870, 1993 (reprint of 1960) ISBN 9780751201246
20th Century
- Anderson, James Pauperism: Poor Relief in Ireland—Some Suggestions (from "Ireland's Hope: A Call to Service"), 1913
External links
- The Workhouse in Ireland
- Hidden Wexford Genealogy - births in the Wexford Workhouse 1851-1893
- Elements of Irish Poor Law Repealed Irish Statute Book
- Irish Poor Law Union and their Records from Ask About Ireland, an Irish government sponsored portal.
- Guide to the records of the Poor Law from the National Archives of IrelandNational Archives of IrelandThe National Archives of Ireland is the official repository for the state records of the Republic of Ireland. Established by the National Archives Act 1986, it came into existence in 1988, taking over the functions of the State Paper Office and the Public Record Office of Ireland. The National...
. - The Irish Poor Law and the Great Famine