What was new about the Speenhamland system?
What was new about the Speenhamland system?
Instead of fixing minimum wages for poor labourers, the practice was to raise workingmen’s income to an agreed level, the money to come out of the parish rates.
What was Speenhamland Act of 1795?
The Speenhamland System was a method of giving relief to the poor, based on the price of bread and the number of children a man had. It further complicated the 1601 Elizabethan Poor Law because it allowed the able-bodied – those who were able to work – to draw on the poor rates.
What was the aim of the Speenhamland system?
The Speenhamland system A cash benefit to meet basic living costs was paid out of council rates to thousands of farm workers (whether employed or unemployed). It was not universal (land-owners were not included), but this payment was widespread in the south of England.
Why did the Speenhamland system fail?
The immediate impact of paying the poor rate fell on the landowners of the parish concerned. They then sought other means of dealing with the poor, such as the workhouse funded through parish unions. Eventually pressure due to structural poverty caused the introduction of the new Poor Law (1834).
When was the Speenhamland system abolished?
1834
Speenhamland was one of many similar systems in use throughout England, but has become the best known. The use of it and other bread scales for poor relief was abolished by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, which introduced the workhouse system. The system has caused much debate since its abolition.
Why was the Poor Law 1601 introduced?
In 1601, England was experiencing a severe economic depression, with large scale unemployment and widespread famine. Queen Elizabeth proclaimed a set of laws designed to maintain order and contribute to the general good of the kingdom: the English Poor Laws.
What did the Poor Law of 1834 do?
The new Poor Law ensured that the poor were housed in workhouses, clothed and fed. Children who entered the workhouse would receive some schooling. In return for this care, all workhouse paupers would have to work for several hours each day.
How long did the 1601 Poor Law last?
200 years
In 1601, another act for the Relief of the Poor was passed. This became known as the Elizabethan Poor Law and remained in effect for over 200 years. It basically put all the previous Poor Laws together into one act, setting up a legal framework to tackle the problem of the poor.
Who introduced the Poor Law 1834?
Earl Grey
The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 (PLAA) known widely as the New Poor Law, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Earl Grey.
What was the first Poor Law?
The earliest medieval Poor Law was the Ordinance of Labourers which was issued by King Edward III of England on 18 June 1349, and revised in 1350. The ordinance was issued in response to the 1348–1350 outbreak of the Black Death in England, when an estimated 30–40% of the population had died.
What were the poor laws in 1815 how were these changed in 1834?
The new Poor Law ensured that the poor were housed in workhouses, clothed and fed. Children who entered the workhouse would receive some schooling. In return for this care, all workhouse paupers would have to work for several hours each day. However, not all Victorians shared this point of view.
