Poor Relief - Law Commission

(l) churchwardens and overseers to execute court orders concerning poor
persons; Directors and Acting Guardians authorised to appoint staff for
the house of industry (including a matron and surgeon) and to appoint a
constable (sections 49 to 51)
(m) penalties for embezzling, swearing, theft of house of industry property or
for taking alcohol into the house (sections 52 to 56)
(n) justices of the peace empowered to act upon complaints by Directors or
Acting Guardians; delivery to Directors and Acting Guardians of moneys
collected under the 1764 Act (sections 57 and 58)
(o) proceedings of meetings of Directors and Acting Guardians; penalties for
non-attendance; collection of penalties imposed under this Act; appeals;
civil procedure issues; status of Act (sections 59 to 66).
5. The Samford house of industry continued in use into the twentieth century by
which time it had become known as the Samford Poor Law Institution. After 1930 the
building became St Mary’s Hospital, caring for the chronic sick, before becoming a
rehabilitation centre for the elderly. In 2001 the site (Samford Court, Lemons Hill,
Tattingstone) was redeveloped for residential use.
6. The 1799 Act has long been obsolete. It dates back to an age when relief for
the poor, and the money to pay for this, was organised on a parish basis. As
indicated in the accompanying background note, the system of parish-run poor relief
was abolished by the Local Government Act 1929. The poor law system was itself
finally abolished by the National Assistance Act 1948. The finance for providing the
income and other support previously provided by the parish is today drawn either
from funds provided by central government or raised by local government from local
taxation.
7. Accordingly the 1799 Act is obsolete and may now be repealed on that basis.
Extent
8. The provisions proposed for repeal had no effect outside Suffolk.
94