any of our ancestors would have sought poor relief from the local parish if they.faced destitution. The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act created the Victorian workhouse system that’s familiar to most of us. Before then, parishes were responsible for administering aid to their paupers. Each pauper was the responsibility of the parish where they were ‘settled’. However, the parish of Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland, also provided aid for itinerant vagrants who passed through the town. Their precious details are recorded in a book held by Kendal Archive Centre, as archivist Anthony
Vagrants' book, 1825-1836
Feb 07, 2023
3 minutes
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