The Poor Law Commission was a body established to administrate poor relief after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act (1834). The commission was made up of three commissioners who became known as "The Barshaws of Somerset House", their secretary and nine clerks or assistant commissioners. The commission lasted until 1847 when it was replaced by a Poor Law Board- the Andover workhouse scandal being one of the reasons for this change. The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 () was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Earl Grey that reformed the countrys poverty relief system. ... The Poor Law Board was established in the United Kingdom in 1847 as a successor body to the triumvirate of Poor Law Commissioners overseeing the administration of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act. ... The Andover workhouse scandal occurred following events at the workhouse in Andover, United Kingdom, in the 19th century. ...
Edwin Chadwick, one of the writers of the 1932 Royal Commission hoped to become Commissioner but instead only got the post of Secretary. This caused clashes with the Poor Law Commissioners. This was one reason why the Poor Law Commission was eventually abolished - there was too much infighting within the organisation. Sir Edwin Chadwick (January 24, 1800–July 6, 1890) was an English social reformer. ...
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The Poor Law Commission was independent of Parliament. This made it vunerable to criticism from those inside Parliament. In the parishes the commissioners were almost univerally hated[1]. The Commission had the power to issue directives but there was no way to make parishes do what the Commission wanted to. The Commission however did have powers over dietaries for the workhouse, veto appointments to Boards of Guaridans - therefore making it difficult for the parishes that opposed it.
Thomas Frankland Lewis (1780-1855) was a British Poor Law Commissioner. ... George Shaw Lefevre was a British Poor Law Commissioner after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act. ... George Nicholls was a British Poor Law Commissioner after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act. ... Sir George Cornewall Lewis, 2nd Baronet (1806-1863), British statesman and man of letters, was born in London on 21 April 1806. ... Sir Edmund Walker Head (February 16, 1805-January 28, 1868) was British colonial administrator. ... Edward Turner Boyd Twistleton was a British Poor Law Commissioner between 1845 and 1847. ...
References
^ Poverty and Public Health 1815-1948 by Rosemary Tees
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