FROM THE ARCHIVES: Changes to care for poor people in Inverness after the Poor Law (Scotland) Act of 1845 established parochial boards to administer poor relief
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Our current session of Archives for Beginners classes is now drawing to a close but here we continue our insight into the types of records examined during the course; this week looking at Poor Relief records.
From 1579 to 1845, the Kirk sessions and the heritors of each parish were responsible for helping the poor.
A kirk session is the lowest court in the Church of Scotland, made up of the minister and elders of an individual parish or congregation.
In the course of kirk session business these courts (and in particular the elder appointed as session clerk) produced records documenting their meetings, decisions and transactions.
As well as acting as a church court, kirk sessions had important responsibilities for poor relief and education. In 1843 a Royal Commission was appointed to inquire into the Poor Law in Scotland and this removed responsibility for the poor from the church.
In 1845 the Poor Law (Scotland) Act established parochial boards to administer poor relief. The Act gave boards the power to raise funds through rates and set up Poorhouses.
Parochial boards were overseen by the Central Board of Supervision in Edinburgh, the existence of which meant the new parochial boards were required to keep specific records, leading to much more uniform procedures from 1845 onwards.
The system of entitlement remained largely unchanged, with paupers still eligible for relief (money or practical assistance) from the last parish they had been resident in for more than seven years or, alternatively, the parish of their birth – which could become a source of dispute and litigation between parishes.
By 1894 parochial boards were replaced by elected parish councils.
The type of help available fell into two categories; indoor and outdoor relief. Indoor relief was admission to the poorhouse while outdoor relief was usually a monetary payment, although it could be payment of school fees, purchase of medicine, clothing and medical attendance. Outdoor relief was much more common in rural parishes where it would have been much easier and cheaper than arranging for paupers to be transported to and from a poorhouse across large rural areas.
If someone was in need of assistance, they would first apply to the Inspector of Poor. The case would be considered by the Parochial Board (or Parish Council from 1894) which would decide whether the applicant was worthy of assistance and what kind. If granted relief they would be added to the Poor Roll and General Register.
In 1930 parish councils were abolished following the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929. Thereafter the poor law was administered by local authorities.
The detailed entries contained within these records (Applications for Relief, Parochial Board Minute Books and General Registers of Poor) make fascinating reading and are an invaluable resource for family historians.
Due to the sensitive nature of the data contained there is a 100 year closure period on these records.
