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 which were charged to provide a workhouse for the relief of the able-bodied poor. Conway Poor Law Union was formed in 1837; its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, representing its constituent parishes of Caerhun, Conway, Dolgarrog, Dwygyfylchi, Llanrhos, Y Gyffin, Llanbedr-y-cennin, Llandudno, Llangelynnin, Llangystennin, and Llysfaen, in Caernarfonshire, and Llandrillo-yn-Rhos, Llanelian-yn-Rhos and Llansanffraid, in Denbighshire, and Eirias in Caernarfonshire and Denbighshire. The Board of Guardians responsible for the Union had other duties, including the registration of births, marriages and deaths, vaccinations, assessments of rates, sanitation, school attendance and infant life protection.
By the Local Government Act 1929, Unions were abolished and their duties transferred to County Councils, responsibility for the poor being transferred to the Public Assistance Committee until 1948; responsibility for rating passed to Colwyn Bay and Colwyn Urban District Council. Conway Rural Sanitary Authority was created in 1877, covering the same area as the Poor Law Union.
Scope and content: Records of the Conway Union, 1867-1929, including rate books, 1867-1926; valuation lists, 1901-1929; and Conway Rural Sanitary Authority records, 1877-1921.