Poor Relief - Law Commission

authority to raise money by granting annuities; form of such grant;
assignment of annuities; recovery of interest due on annuities; restrictions
on grant of annuities; payment of creditors by ballot; power to borrow
money at a lower rate of interest (sections 87 to 95)
(o) provision for certain existing enactments to apply to the town; prohibition
on strong liquor being introduced into the workhouse; treasurer and other
officers to account for moneys received by them; penalties for default;
executors of any deceased officer to deliver up books of account; sureties
to remain liable despite dismissal of officer; ratepayers competent to give
evidence (sections 96 to 101)
(p) civil and criminal procedure matters; recovery of fines and penalties;
appeals; this Act not to lessen the rights of the Corporation, give the
Corporation any rights over any almshouse or hospital or alter the
provisions of an Act of 1775 121 relating to the paving, cleaning and lighting
of the streets; status of this Act (sections 102 to 114).
5. A workhouse (known as Charity Hall) was erected pursuant to an Act of
1697 122 in Whitefriargate. It remained in use as a workhouse until 1852 when it was
sold and a new workhouse was opened in Anlaby Road at its junction with Argyle
Street.
6. The 1824 Act has long been obsolete. Indeed, parts of it have already been
repealed. 123 It dates back to an age when relief for the poor, and the money to pay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 Accordingly the 1824 Act is obsolete and may now be repealed on that basis.
121
This 1755 Act was finally repealed by the Kingston-upon-Hull Improvement Act 1854 (17 & 18
Vict.c.ci), s 8.
122
9 Will.3 c.47.
123
See the Ministry of Health Provisional Orders Confirmation (No 6) Act 1924 (14 & 15 Geo.5 c.lxxii).
This 1924 Act gives effect to the Kingston-upon-Hull (Poor Law) Order 1924. Article 1 of that order
provides in effect that poor rates in Kingston-upon-Hull were no longer to be made under the 1824 Act.
128