Banbury Poor Law originally catalogued as T.G/I for Rural Sanitary Authority see:
- ledgers, 1873-1894: (Banbury R.D.C. II/i) now RDC1/1/F1/1
-parochial ledgers, 1873-1894: (Banbury R.D.C. II/ii) now RDC1/1/F2/1-11
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POOR LAW UNION
The Poor Law Unions were established by the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. The old system, introduced by the Tudors, in which each parish was responsible for its own paupers and unemployed, had proved unsatisfactory. A regional rather than a parochial approach was required: unions comprised all parishes within a 10 mile radius from a central market town, from which the union would take its name. Each Union had a workhouse in or near that town; older workhouses, run by individual or united parishes, were taken over or abolished.
The duties of the Board of Guardians were the ordering and directing of all relief to the poor, and the provision and management of a workhouse for the maintenance and employment of paupers. They had to hear and determine all applications for relief, and to issue directions to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor in each parish, who were responsible for collecting the moneys required. The Guardians assembled in weekly meetings, and constituted various committees for specific matters. They appointed officers for the daily administrative work, such as the Clerk to the Guardians, the Treasurer and the Relieving Officers. The latter administered the relief within their districts according to the directions of the Guardians, to whom they had to report. They referred cases which needed medical attendance to the District Medical Officers.
The Workhouse was run by a Master and/or Matron, usually a married couple. Inmates who were capable were set to work, which could be cleaning or gardening, picking of oakum, breaking of stone in the workhouse quarry, or cutting of timber into firewood for use on the premises or for sale. Provision was made for the education and training of children. After 1911 children between the ages of three and sixteen years were accommodated in children's homes. A workhouse was attended by a chaplain, and by a medical officer, who had to examine the inmates and casuals, and gave directions concerning diets. Nurses were in charge of sick wards.
The Poor Law Unions were abolished in 1930, when the Local Government Act, 1929, transferred their functions to the County Councils, through Public Assistance Committees. Workhouses often continued to exist as Public Assistance Institutions, and gradually developed into hospitals. This accounts for the fact that some "workhouse" records in this collection date from later than 1930.
Non poor-law duties
By consecutive Acts, various non poor-law duties devolved upon the Boards of Guardians. These were the provision of offices and appointment of registrars for the registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (1836-1929), the arrangement of facilities for vaccination (1840-1929) and the appointment of Assessment Committees as rating authorities (1862-1925). The Guardians became also responsible for sanitation, as local authority carrying out the Nuisance Removal Act, 1855 and the Public Health Act, 1875. The latter Act made the Guardians of each Union responsible as Rural Sanitary Authority (RSA) for that part of their area which was not included in a borough, until the RSAs were replaced by Rural District Councils in 1894. The Elementary Education Act of 1876 directed Guardians to appoint School Attendance Committees in their unions. Ultimately, they controlled the maintenance of infants apart from their parents under the Infant Life Protection Act (1897-1929).
Records
The largest and most important part of the collection is the series of Guardians' minute books, which is almost complete.
Records of the Headington Union are kept in the Oxford City Archives. A list of these records is available in the searchroom.
Not many workhouse records have survived, apart from the Chipping Norton Union workhouse records. Of the records of the Oxford Incorporation (Oxford Poor Law Union), consisting of most parishes of Oxford, only one register survived.
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Banbury
Banbury Poor Law Union was formed on 3rd April 1835, its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians. The Banbury Union Poor Law records are made up from several accessions: [1203], 1335, 1565, 2207, 3246; and cover the following parishes within Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire.
Banbury Poor Law Union (parishes in Oxfordshire)
Adderbury, East, Adderbury, West, Alkerton, Balscote, Banbury, Barford St John, Barford St Michael, Bloxham, Bodicote, Bourton, Broughton, Clattercote, Claydon, Cropredy, Drayton, Epwell, Grimsbury (1894-1930), Hanwell, Hook Norton, Horley, Hornton, Milcombe, Milton, Mollington, Neithrop, Newington, North, Newington, South, Prescote , Shenington, Shutford, East, Shutford, West, Sibford Ferris, Sibford Gower, Swalcliffe, Tadmarton, Wardington, Wigginton, Wroxton.
Banbury Poor Law Union (parishes n Northamptonshire)
Appletree, Aston le Walls, Boddington, Lower, Boddington, Upper, Chalcombe, Chipping Warden, Edgcott, Middleton Cheney, Nethercote, Warkworth.
Banbury Poor Law Union (parishes in Warwickshire)
Avon Dassett, Farnborough, Radway, Ratley, Shotteswell, Warmington.
PLU1 CONTAINS
AS - ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE
G - BOARD OF GUARDIANS AND THEIR OFFICERS
RG - REGISTRATION
W - WORKHOUSE
A conspectus of new and old references is included at the end of this catalogue. Catalogued by Heleen van Rossum in February 1993, recatalogued by Jennie Montague-Jones and Alison Smith in 2011 with additions by Jennie Montague-Jones in January 2014.