The 1844 Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order
The Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order, issued on 21st December 1844, was the final revision of an earlier General order issued in August 1841, and previously issued as a Special order to various individual unions. The order aimed to end, finally, the distribution of out-relief to the able-bodied poor except in certain well defined circumstances. Alternatively, where such relief was given, the Poor Law Commissioners were to be notified for retrospective approval. However, the aim of the order was never achieved, with many unions continuing to issue outdoor relief to the able-bodied. In a further attempt to regulate this through a requirement for daily work, the Commissioners subsequently issued the separate Outdoor Labour Test Order to some unions. To read the full text of the 1844 Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order, just click on the accompanying picture of the Order's title page. |
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