The workhouse had its origins in the 17th century as part of the parish-based system of poor relief, known as Old Poor Law. A major overhaul of the system in the 1830s introduced a new and larger administrative area known as the Poor Law Union, and the much larger workhouses of the Victorian period and later.
The talk will cover the evolution of the poor relief system from 1601 to 1948, particularly looking at the operation of workhouses and the records they kept.
A major overhaul known as the Poor Law Union, and the much larger workhouses of the Victorian era.

Presenter:
Peter Higginbotham:

Peter Higginbotham is a long-time researcher and author on UK institutions such as the workhouse, children’s homes and prisons. As well as creating the websites workhouses.org.uk, childrenshomes.org.uk and (in progress) theprison.org.uk, his many books include The Workhouse Encylopedia and Children’s Homes: A History of Institutional Care for Britain’s Young.
He has also appeared on many TV shows such as Who Do You Think you Are?

Tickets will close at 3pm Monday 22nd May 2023

Link will be sent out after 4pm Monday 22nd May 2023

This event will be recorded and made available for those that have purchased tickets for the following month to view.