Abergavenny Board of Guardians Records

Records of Abergavenny Poor Law Union, 1836-1933, including Guardians' minute books. 1836-1930; letter books, 1843-1922; relief order books, 1867-1912; Vagrants' outdoor relief lists, 1895-1915; school fees records, 1878-1892; Relieving Officer's receipt and payment books, 1862-1910; medical records, 1860-1925; registers and returns, 1837-1930; financial records, 1836-1930; workhouse administration records, 1843-1933.

Until the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, relief of the poor was the responsibility of the parish. Following the Act, parishes were grouped into Unions that were charged to provide a workhouse for the relief of the able-bodied poor. Abergavenny Poor Law Union was formed in 1837 and operated in constituent parishes of Abergavenny, Aberystruth, Bettws Newydd, Bryngwyn, Bwlch Trewyn, Cleidda, Cwmyoy, Ishlaw'r-coed with Man-moel and Ushlaw'r-coed, Llanarth, Llanellen, Llanfoist, Llangattock Llingoed, Llangatwg nigh Usk, Llanover, Llansantfraed, Llanddewi Rhydderch, Llanddewi Skirrid, Llantilio Pertholey, Llanfair Kilgeddin, Llanvapley, Llanvetherine, Llanvihangel Crucorney, Llanfihangel-y-gofion, Llanwenarth, Oldcastle, and Tewddog. In 1891 the parish of Fwthog became part of the Union. The Union workhouse was situated in Abergavenny and built in 1837-1838. In 1849 the western part of the Union separated to form the new Bedwellty Union. The Board of Guardians responsible for the Union had other duties from time to time, including the registration of births, marriages and deaths, vaccinations, assessments of rates, sanitation, school attendance and infant life protection. By the time of the Local Government Act 1929. Unions were abolished and their duties transferred to County Councils, with responsibility for the poor being transferred to the Public Assistance Committee until 1948.

Arranged into the following: General administration; Poor relief; Medical; Reports, registers and returns; Finance; Workhouse administration.

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Source not recorded

Compiled by Richard Burman for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Gwent Record Office, Abergavenny Board of Guardians, catalogue; The History of Poor Law website (http://users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/unions.html), viewed 19 September 2005.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available in Gwent Record Office.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

All records deposited at Gwent Record Office have been retained.

Accruals are not expected