Poor Relief - Law Commission

Reference Extent of repeal or revocation
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30 Geo.3 c.81 (1790) The whole Act.
(Manchester Poor Relief Act)
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30 Geo.3 c.81 (1790) (Manchester Poor Relief Act)
1. This note proposes the repeal of an obsolete 1790 Act passed to provide relief
for the poor living in Manchester.
2. According to its long title, the purpose of the 1790 Act was:
for providing a new Poor-house for, and for the better Relief and Government
of the Poor of, the Township of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
3. The preamble to the 1790 Act recorded that:
the Township of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, is very populous,
and the Poor thereof are becoming exceedingly numerous; and the Poor
House of the said Township is too small, and is in other Respects very
inconvenient; and it would tend to the better Relief and Employment of the
Poor, and be of Benefit to the Inhabitants of the said Township, to have a
proper and commodious Poor House provided for the same …
4. The 1790 Act provided as follows:
(a) the churchwardens of the “Collegiate and Parish Church of Christ, in
Manchester” (“the churchwardens”) and the overseers of the poor of the
township of Manchester (“the overseers”) were empowered to carry this
Act into effect (section 1)
(b) first meeting of churchwardens and overseers; their oath of office; their
monthly, quarterly and special meetings; expenses (sections 2 to 8)
(c) existing poor house land and buildings to be vested in the churchwardens
and overseers who were empowered to sell the same to raise money for a
new poor house; protection for purchasers (sections 9 to 11)
(d) churchwardens and overseers empowered to appoint staff to run the poor
house and clergy to perform divine service; payment of allowances;
powers of justices of the peace to visit and inspect the poor (sections 12
and 13)
(e) churchwardens and overseers authorised to purchase land for, and to
construct, a new poor house; exemption of poor house from taxation;
conveyancing provisions; building contract provisions; goods and chattels
provided for the poor to vest in the churchwardens and overseers; civil
procedure issues (sections 14 to 26)
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