Poor Relief - Law Commission

POOR RELIEF REPEAL PROPOSALS
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Reference Extent of repeal or revocation
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9 Will.3 c.17 (1697) The whole Act.
(Crediton Workhouse Act)
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9 Will.3 c.17 (1697) (Crediton Workhouse Act)
1. This note proposes the repeal of an obsolete 17 th century Act passed to provide
relief for the poor living in Crediton, Devon.
2. The preamble to the 1697 Act recorded that:
The poor who are very numerous within the Bounds and Parish of Crediton
alias Kyrton in the County of Devon and hamlett of Sandford within the said
Parish doe dayly multiply and Idlenesse and Debauchery increase for want of
workhouses to sett them at work.
3. The 1697 Act provided as follows: 22
(a) from 1 June 1698 a Corporation was to be established within the bounds
and parish of Crediton comprising the 12 Governors of the Church of
Crediton and 10 other inhabitants who would be elected by those
Governors at a meeting held for that purpose
(b) the 10 elected inhabitants would act as Assistants to the Governors;
tenure of office of the Assistants and provisions for their replacement
(c) the Governors and Assistants to meet annually to elect three of the
Assistants as Guardians of the Poor for the next year
(d) the Governors, Assistants and Guardians to be incorporated and known
as the Governors, Assistants and Guardians for the better relief of the
Poor of Crediton with power to hold and transfer land and other property;
first meeting to be held on 1 June 1698 to elect a treasurer from within
their number for the next year; power to appoint other officers
(e) the Guardians authorised to convene a court or assembly of the
Corporation every two months, or at any time with two days’ notice;
power to summon inhabitants to appear before the court; churchwardens
and overseers required to attend meetings to produce all books and
papers relating to the poor
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The provisions of the 1697 Act are not identified by reference to section numbers because the Act
itself was not divided into sections.
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