Haverfordwest Poor Law Union Records

Records of Haverfordwest Poor Law Union, Pembrokeshire, 1837-1948, comprising minute books, 1837-1948; workhouse admission and discharge books, 1882-1950; workhouse register of births and deaths, 1866-1949; register of inmates, 1920-1948; indoor relief list, 1942-1949; inmates examination books, 1932-1947; medical officers' report books, 1930-1947; masters journal, 1936-1947; workhouse records, 1872-1948; plans, [c. 1837]-1882; financial records, 1836-1934; abstract of outdoor relief lists, 1919-1930; registers - other than workhouse, 1889-1930; letter books, 1876-1878; correspondence files, [c. 1900]-[c. 1930]; and miscellaneous papers, 1836-1931.

Under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, parishes formed unions; each union supported a workhouse. The Poor Law union were administered by Boards of Guardians and (latterly) the Guardians Committee of the Public Assistance Committee of Pembrokeshire County Council. The Board of Guardians were elected by local landowners and rate-payers. Haverfordwest Poor Law Union was formed in 1837, with 63 constituent parishes in Pembrokeshire; its workhouse was built 1837-1839 in Haverfordwest. After the Local Government Act 1929, unions were abolished and their duties transferred to County Councils.

Arranged into the following: minute books; admission and discharge books; register of births, and deaths; register of inmates; indoor relief list; inmates examination books, medical officers report books; masters journal; workhouse records; plans; financial records; abstract of outdoor relief lists; registers - other than workhouse; letter books; correspondence files; and miscellaneous.

Closure of 100 years for any records containing medical and personal details.

Transferred from Modern Records in 1980.

Compiled by Annette Strauch for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Pembrokeshire Record Office, Haverfordwest Poor Law Union, catalogue; Oxford University website (users.ox.ac.uk), viewed 13 May 2005.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at Pembrokeshire Record Office.

Usual copyright regulations apply

All records have been retained

Records of the Haverfordwest Union were transferred to Pembrokeshire County Council, and then from the Welfare Department and County Architect to Modern Records.

Accruals are not expected