Poor Relief - Law Commission

maintenance of the poor of other parishes; such parishes entitled to
appoint a Director; workhouse inmates not to acquire any settlement
rights in the parish where the workhouse is situated; ascertaining the
place of settlement of illegitimate children; certain appeals to require the
consent of Directors; poor rates to cease if workhouse profits meet the
cost of maintaining the poor in the workhouse (sections 85 to 98)
(m) recovery and application of penalties arising under this Act; ratepayers
competent to give evidence in certain proceedings; this Act not to extend
to certain parishes without the consent of householders in those parishes;
this Act not to give the Corporation any powers in relation to the poor in
any almshouses or hospitals; this Act not to extend to any district
separately liable to maintain its own poor; justice of the peace authorised
to proceed in cases not covered by this Act; Directors empowered to
appoint special constables; Governor of workhouse authorised to execute
warrants (sections 99 to 106)
(n) expenses of this Act; appeals; civil procedure issues; status of this Act
(sections 107 to 112).
5. In the event, the 1796 Act was used not to build a new workhouse but rather to
purchase an existing one. In March 1797 the Directors bought an existing workhouse
for £730 for the use of the City of Lincoln’s thirteen parishes. However, following the
formation of the Lincoln Poor Law Union in November 1836, a new workhouse was
built (in 1837-38) on the west side of Burton Road. The old workhouse site was sold
for £400 and the buildings were demolished in 1839.
6. The 1796 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 Accordingly the 1796 Act is obsolete and may now be repealed on that basis.
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