self-help and charity

• what was the dominant attitude towards poverty throughout the 19th century?

  poor had created poverty - lifestyle was their choice. Only destitute would be given relief , with help no able-bodied paupers would live in poverty
• where did regular stories about conditions in the workhouses appear?

  The Times and the Charist Press
• why was there a scandal over the Andover workhouse?

  Colin M'Dougal + wife appointed as Andover master and matron.

  • Treated paupers poorly , workhouse rarely inspected
  • Henry Parker investigated sexually abused female paupers
  • M'Dougal served less food than required for dietary
• why was the Poor Law criticised over Andover workhouse scandal?

  Henry Parker was blamed for not uncovering abuse sooner , forgetting they reduced number of assistant commissioners from 21 to 9

  • Parker wrote pamphlets explaining his position , Edwin Chadwick supported him.
  • House of Commons released enquiry , criticising Poor Law commission
• what problems were there with the Poor Law commission?

  • Andover Scandal revealed worst abuse of workhouse system + lack of willingness of commission to detect and connect such matters
  • tensions within Somerset house
  • way commission blamed Parker , alarmed those who knew how administrators should be treated in problematic situations
• what replaced the Poor Law Commission in 1847?

  Poor Law Board
• how different was the Poor Law Commission to the Poor Law Board?


  • had a president , two secretaries and several cabinet members in office
  • those responsible for administration of Poor Law were answerable to parliament , responsible for public opinion
• what did the new Poor Law Board try to do in 1852?


  try to forbid outdoor relief to able bodies
• why did the new Poor Law Board's prevention of outdoor relief fail?

  • Boards of Guardians used all loopholes possible (e.g sickness in family) to continuing outdoor relief
  • cost conscious guardians preferred cheaper alternative of outdoor relief
• what did the new Poor Law Board do to improve the lives of children in the workhouse?

  Poor Law Schools Act 1848

  • allowed Poor Law unions to combine to provide district schools
  • some progressive boards of Guardians e.g Leeds and Manchester , set up industrial trade schools and Pauper children lived and learned a trade
• did the new Poor Law Board deal with the issue of illness , a major cause of poverty?

  • appointed medical officers (Poor Law adement act) , poorly paid , seen as part of disciplinary system of workhouse
  • Boards of Guardians frequently left sick , injured + pregnant Paupers to be treated at home by medical officers - form of poor relief
• how did the government help with financial problems?

  • union changeability , placed financial burden of relief on union as a whole.
  • Each Parish contributed to a common fund , contribution based upon rateable value of properties in parish , number of paupers for whom paupers were responsible for
• what did the Parliamentary reform act of 1867 give the vote to for the first time?

  working class could vote
• how did the working class being able to vote , impact the poor law and the government thinking about it?

  • increased pressure from radicals to democratise elections of guardians of the poor
  • increasing franchise to include better-off working class , government became increasingly aware of and concerned about welfare of the people
• what was the Local Government Board?

  set up in 1871

  • replaced Poor Law Board
  • tried to reduce the number of paupers receiving relief
• outline the main actions of the local government board?

  • condemned outdoor relief
  • supported local authorities in being harsh to able-bodied poor e.g East London , set up workhouse where undeserving poor did harsh work
• how paupers received indoor relief vs outdoor relief in 1880?

  indoor relief - 215,377

  outdoor relief - 577,122
• when was the charity organisation society (COS) set up?

  1869
• why was the COS powerful?

  supported by parliament , armed forces , aristocracy and established church
• what were the main aims of the COS?

  ensured only deserving poor got charity relief

  • co-operation with Poor Law authorities at local levels to establish clear divines between poor law authorities and charities
  • oraganise work of other charities to co-ordinate their work
• why did the COS only believe the 'deserving poor' should receive help from other charities?


  charity should help deserving poor get back on their feet and help them make permanent changes in their lives
• what did the COS claim it could do?

  able to work with Poor Law authorities to direct help and target those who deserve it
• short-comings of the COS

  • branches failed to recruit enough volunteers and funds
  • poor resented its selection processes
  • many charities saw COS as over-bearing , not only provider of funds
• what were the COS achievements?

  1895 - established procedures for collecting information about poor , laid foundations for later social research
• what were Friendly Societies?

  self-help organisations , friends grouped together
• where were the benefits for Friendly Society members?

  entitled to payments in times of sickness , death , unemployment
• limitations of Friendly Society

  • some societies fined members who missed a payment
  • some refused those who had history of illnesses or those over 40.
  • some didn't receive benefits
• what were Burial Society?

  Community organizations for funeral expenses.

  • Liverpool Victoria , Royal London = 4 million members between them
• when did trade unions begin to develop?

  mid and late 19th century
• what type of workers were most of their members?

  trade or skill based workers
• give an example of an early trade union?

  ASE - Amalgamated society of Engineers
• benefits of trade union

  offered pension + benefits for sickness and death , offered unemployment pay
• limitations of trade unions

  Brickmasters society of London had no sickfund , skilled workers could afford weekly subscription
• what were co-operative societies

  self-help movement managed by working people , rent a shop and sell goods to working class families
• benefits for CO-OP

  gave working class families ability to plan their finances , gave them reassurance rent should be paid and got high quality food goods
• what was the orthodoxy (main way of thinking) on poverty in the C19?

  • poverty was necessary , desireable if people strived to improve their lot
  • indigence was fault of the poor themselves
• which newspaper did Samuel Smiles become editor of in 1838?

  The Leeds Times
• what did Samuel Smile campaign for through his newspaper?

  reform of:

  • parliament
  • women's suffrage
  • free trade
  • factory
• what was the title of the book he published in 1859 which became a best-seller?

  Self-help
• what were the main arguments in 'Self-Help'?

  • possible to have wealth without having to show concern for neighbours , self-help would be open to them too
  • only genuine destitute needed help
  • no need for poor relief , get selves out of poverty