Collection LCC/WE/CW - WELFARE DEPARTMENT: CASUAL WARDS

Identity area

Reference code

LCC/WE/CW

Title

WELFARE DEPARTMENT: CASUAL WARDS

Date(s)

  • 1923-1951 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

2.02 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

In 1948 the poor law, after an existence of almost 350 years, was abolished. Those among the poor whose financial needs were not met by national insurance were given material help by the National Assistance Board. Local authorities were delegated some responsibilities by the Board, for example the provision of reception centres for the temporary accommodation of vagrants and persons without a settled way of life. In addition the National Assistance Act, 1948, required local authorities to make residential provision for the blind, disabled, elderly and infirm. However, under the Act these services were not to be provided free as a kind of official charity. Persons receiving help were to pay according to their means, even if their means were no more than a retirement pension. The Council's responsibilities in all this related therefore to the provision of establishments of various kinds. At the end of the Second World War there were public assistance institutions (formerly the old workhouses), three lodging houses, and, left over from wartime activities, the rest centres and rest homes. The Welfare Department was responsible for the organisation and management of the various residential homes, temporary homes and institutions for the assistance of the poor.

Casual wards provided temporary board and lodging for vagrants. After the war they were replaced by reception centres.

Archival history

LCC/WE/CW 1923-1951 Collection 2.02 linear metres LCC , London County Council x London County Council

In 1948 the poor law, after an existence of almost 350 years, was abolished. Those among the poor whose financial needs were not met by national insurance were given material help by the National Assistance Board. Local authorities were delegated some responsibilities by the Board, for example the provision of reception centres for the temporary accommodation of vagrants and persons without a settled way of life. In addition the National Assistance Act, 1948, required local authorities to make residential provision for the blind, disabled, elderly and infirm. However, under the Act these services were not to be provided free as a kind of official charity. Persons receiving help were to pay according to their means, even if their means were no more than a retirement pension. The Council's responsibilities in all this related therefore to the provision of establishments of various kinds. At the end of the Second World War there were public assistance institutions (formerly the old workhouses), three lodging houses, and, left over from wartime activities, the rest centres and rest homes. The Welfare Department was responsible for the organisation and management of the various residential homes, temporary homes and institutions for the assistance of the poor.

Casual wards provided temporary board and lodging for vagrants. After the war they were replaced by reception centres.

Acquired with the records of its parent body, the London County Council. Additional accession of case files received in 1955 (AC/55/078, AC/55/095).

Records of the London County Council Welfare Department, 1923-1951, relating to casual wards in Chelsea, Hackney, Lambeth, Northumberland Avenue, Paddington, Poplar, Southwark, Saint Pancras and Woolwich. Please note some files may be closed for Data Protection purposes.

Arranged alphabetically by location of ward; LCC/WE/CW/CH: Chelsea to LCC/WE/CW/WO: Woolwich.

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 further information on the history of the LCC please see Achievement: A Short History of the London County Council by W Eric Jackson (1965), LMA Library reference 18.0 1965, The London County Council 1938, LMA Library reference 18.7 SER 4, and The Youngest County: A description of London as a county and its public services, 1951, LMA Library reference 18.0 1951.

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 Camden Welfare Department , London County Council LCC , London County Council x London County Council Social welfare administration Social problems Homelessness Construction engineering Building design Building standards Accommodation Housing Housing provision Hostels People People by roles Homeless people Government Public administration Local government Disadvantaged groups Poor Homeless London England UK Western Europe Tower Hamlets Hackney Paddington Lambeth St Pancras Kensington and Chelsea Poplar Greenwich Southwark Northumberland Avenue City of Westminster Woolwich Europe Housing policy

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Acquired with the records of its parent body, the London County Council. Additional accession of case files received in 1955 (AC/55/078, AC/55/095).

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the London County Council Welfare Department, 1923-1951, relating to casual wards in Chelsea, Hackney, Lambeth, Northumberland Avenue, Paddington, Poplar, Southwark, Saint Pancras and Woolwich. Please note some files may be closed for Data Protection purposes.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by location of ward; LCC/WE/CW/CH: Chelsea to LCC/WE/CW/WO: Woolwich.

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

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

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area