Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1836-1933 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
53.26 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Poor relief was based on the Act for the Relief of the Poor of 1601 which obliged parishes to take care of the aged and needy in their area. Parish overseers were empowered to collect a local income tax known as the poor-rate which would be put towards the relief of the poor. This evolved into the rating system, where the amount of poor-rate charged was based on the value of a person's property. Early workhouses were constructed and managed by the parish. However, this process was expensive and various schemes were devised where groups of parishes could act together and pool their resources. As early as 1647 towns were setting up 'Corporations' of parishes. An Act of 1782, promoted by Thomas Gilbert, allowed adjacent parishes to combine into Unions and provide workhouses. These were known as 'Gilbert's Unions' and were managed by a board of Guardians.
Under the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, the Poor Law Commission was given the power to unite parishes in England and Wales into Poor Law Unions. Each Union was to be administered by a local Board of Guardians. Relief was to be provided through the provision of a workhouse. An amendment to the 1834 Act allowed already existing 'Gilbert's Unions' or Corporations of parishes to remain in existence, although they were encouraged to convert themselves into Poor Law Unions. Although there was some reorganisation of union boundaries, particularly in London, the majority of Unions created under the 1834 Act remained in operation until 1930. In March 1930 a new Local Government Bill abolished the Poor Law Unions and the Board of Guardians. Responsibility for their institutions passed to Public Assistance Committees managed by the county councils - in the metropolis either the London County Council or the Middlesex County Council.
Wandsworth and Clapham Union was constituted in 1836 and consisted of the parishes of Wandsworth, Putney, Clapham, Battersea, Streatham and Tooting Graveney. In 1904 these parishes were amalgamated into one parish to be known as the Parish of Wandsworth Borough. The title of the Union was altered to Wandsworth Union. The Wandsworth Union was the largest in London, supporting a population of more than 350,000.
Saint John's Hill Workhouse (also known as the Wandsworth and Clapham Union Workhouse) was constructed in 1838. In 1886 a new, larger workhouse was constructed in Swaffield Road. This allowed the older workhouse to become a dedicated infirmary or hospital, known as Saint John's Hill Infirmary.
Source of information: Peter Higginbotham at The Workhouse website.
Repository
Archival history
WABG 1836-1933 Collection 53.26 linear metres Wandsworth and Clapham Poor Law Union x Wandsworth Poor Law Union x Wandsworth Board of Guardians
Poor relief was based on the Act for the Relief of the Poor of 1601 which obliged parishes to take care of the aged and needy in their area. Parish overseers were empowered to collect a local income tax known as the poor-rate which would be put towards the relief of the poor. This evolved into the rating system, where the amount of poor-rate charged was based on the value of a person's property. Early workhouses were constructed and managed by the parish. However, this process was expensive and various schemes were devised where groups of parishes could act together and pool their resources. As early as 1647 towns were setting up 'Corporations' of parishes. An Act of 1782, promoted by Thomas Gilbert, allowed adjacent parishes to combine into Unions and provide workhouses. These were known as 'Gilbert's Unions' and were managed by a board of Guardians.
Under the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, the Poor Law Commission was given the power to unite parishes in England and Wales into Poor Law Unions. Each Union was to be administered by a local Board of Guardians. Relief was to be provided through the provision of a workhouse. An amendment to the 1834 Act allowed already existing 'Gilbert's Unions' or Corporations of parishes to remain in existence, although they were encouraged to convert themselves into Poor Law Unions. Although there was some reorganisation of union boundaries, particularly in London, the majority of Unions created under the 1834 Act remained in operation until 1930. In March 1930 a new Local Government Bill abolished the Poor Law Unions and the Board of Guardians. Responsibility for their institutions passed to Public Assistance Committees managed by the county councils - in the metropolis either the London County Council or the Middlesex County Council.
Wandsworth and Clapham Union was constituted in 1836 and consisted of the parishes of Wandsworth, Putney, Clapham, Battersea, Streatham and Tooting Graveney. In 1904 these parishes were amalgamated into one parish to be known as the Parish of Wandsworth Borough. The title of the Union was altered to Wandsworth Union. The Wandsworth Union was the largest in London, supporting a population of more than 350,000.
Saint John's Hill Workhouse (also known as the Wandsworth and Clapham Union Workhouse) was constructed in 1838. In 1886 a new, larger workhouse was constructed in Swaffield Road. This allowed the older workhouse to become a dedicated infirmary or hospital, known as Saint John's Hill Infirmary.
Source of information: Peter Higginbotham at The Workhouse website.
Received in multiple accessions between 1954 and 1996 (AC/54/093; AC/55/075; AC/55/085, ACC/3768).
Records of the Wandsworth Poor Law Union, 1836-1933, including minutes of meetings of the Board of Guardians; minutes and reports of various Committees including the Assessment Committee, Schools and Institutions Committee and Boarding Out Committee; correspondence with the Local Government Board and the Ministry of Health; contracts; orders of the Poor Law Board; settlement examinations; orders of removal to and from other Unions; registers of the Swaffield Road Workhouse and Saint John's Hill Workhouse; registers of apprentices; registers of children at the Intermediate School, Swaffield Road and the Anerley School, North Surrey; financial accounts; staff records; maps of parishes in Wandsworth; floor plans of Saint John's Hospital; registers of relief given to the wives and children of interned aliens [foreigners], First World War.
WABG/001-086: Minutes; WABG/087-092: Committees; WABG/093-101: Correspondence; WABG/102-124: Settlement and Orders; WABG/125-148: Workhouses and Institutions; WABG/149-175: Schools and Children; WABG/176-188: Financial; WABG/189-200: Staff; WABG/201-206: Plans and maps; WABG/207: Register of relief to aliens.
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright: City of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
For the records of the London County Council, who took over Wandsworth Board of Guardians institutions, see reference LCC. Further records are held by Wandsworth Heritage Service, Battersea Library, 265 Lavender Hill, London SW11 1JB.
For a detailed history see website 'The Workhouse' (http://www.workhouses.org.uk).
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. April to June 2009 People People by roles Lunatics Disadvantaged groups Disadvantaged children Settlement records Settlement examinations Social services Poor Law Social security Social welfare Poor Law union Poor relief Poor Law boards of guardians Information sources Documents Apprenticeship records Apprenticeship indenture Government Public administration Local government Local boards Boards of Guardians Health services Care Care of children Visual materials Plans Building plans Architecture Buildings Workhouses Care of poor and aged Wandsworth and Clapham Poor Law Union x Wandsworth Poor Law Union x Wandsworth Board of Guardians Wandsworth and Clapham Union Workhouse x Saint John's Hill Workhouse x Saint John's Hill Infirmary Wandsworth and Clapham Union Workhouse , Swaffield Road x Swaffield Road Workhouse Ministry of Health Putney London England UK Western Europe Clapham Lambeth Tooting Wandsworth Wandsworth (district) Streatham Battersea Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Received in multiple accessions between 1954 and 1996 (AC/54/093; AC/55/075; AC/55/085, ACC/3768).
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Wandsworth Poor Law Union, 1836-1933, including minutes of meetings of the Board of Guardians; minutes and reports of various Committees including the Assessment Committee, Schools and Institutions Committee and Boarding Out Committee; correspondence with the Local Government Board and the Ministry of Health; contracts; orders of the Poor Law Board; settlement examinations; orders of removal to and from other Unions; registers of the Swaffield Road Workhouse and Saint John's Hill Workhouse; registers of apprentices; registers of children at the Intermediate School, Swaffield Road and the Anerley School, North Surrey; financial accounts; staff records; maps of parishes in Wandsworth; floor plans of Saint John's Hospital; registers of relief given to the wives and children of interned aliens [foreigners], First World War.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
WABG/001-086: Minutes; WABG/087-092: Committees; WABG/093-101: Correspondence; WABG/102-124: Settlement and Orders; WABG/125-148: Workhouses and Institutions; WABG/149-175: Schools and Children; WABG/176-188: Financial; WABG/189-200: Staff; WABG/201-206: Plans and maps; WABG/207: Register of relief to aliens.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright: City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
For the records of the London County Council, who took over Wandsworth Board of Guardians institutions, see reference LCC. Further records are held by Wandsworth Heritage Service, Battersea Library, 265 Lavender Hill, London SW11 1JB.
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Disadvantaged groups
- Disadvantaged groups » Disadvantaged children
- Social services
- Social services » Social security
- Social welfare
- Information sources
- Documents
- Government
- Government » Public administration
- Government » Public administration » Local government
- Health services
- Visual materials
- Architecture
- Architecture » Buildings
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English