Monmouth Board of Guardians Records

Records of Monmouth Poor Law Union, 1836-1932, including Guardians' minute books, 1839-1930; committee minutes, 1877-1930; letter books, 1869-1924; correspondence, 1836-1930; relief order books, 1910-1930; medical records, 1914-1923; registers and returns, 1882-1930; financial records, 1837-1930; workhouse administration records, 1853-1932.

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. Monmouth Poor Law Union was formed in 1836 and operated in constituent parishes of Crick, Cwmcarvan, Dingestow, Dixton, English Bicknor, Ganarew, Llandenni, Llandogo, Llangattock-Vibon-Avel, Llangovan, Llanishen, Llanrothal, Llantillio Crossenny, Llanvihangel-Ystern-Llewern, Mitchel Troy, Monmouth, Newland, Park Grace-Dieu, Penallt, Penrhos, Pen-y-clawdd, Raglan, Rockfield, St. Maughans, Skenfrith, Staunton, Tregare, Trellech, Welsh Bicknor, Welsh Newton, Whitchurch and Wonastow, in Monmouthshire and English Bicknor, Newland, West Dean, Staunton in Gloucestershire. For many years the old Monmouth parish workhouse was used by the Union. In 1870 a new workhouse was built in Monmouth. 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.

No restrictions

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, Monmouth Board of Guardians, catalogue; The History of Poor Law website (http://users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/unions.html), viewed 21 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

Further records of the Monmouth Union are NLW, Papers of C. D. Thomas, Assistant Overseer, 1854-1895; Gloucestershire Record Office, Poor rate books.