Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Sixth Annual Report of the Poor Law Commissioners: Together With Appendices A, B, C, D, and E
The Guardians sat for twelve consecutive hours, notwith standing that they had divided themselves, for the more speedy transaction of business, into three sections and they had to re lieve (on this 9th day of April) between 400 and 500 heads of families. In relieving them, however, each applicant was made duly aware of the Board's resolutions, and that no more relief in aid of wages would be allowed; and they were also informed that, if they could not maintain themselves and their families by the loom, the Guardians would pay to them wages for stone-breaking, &c., at which they might, if they chose to exert themselves, obtain a subsistence; but that, at all events, they would be no longer permitted to be partly paupers and partly independent workmen.
The applicants relieved in aid of wages on Thursday, the 2d April, (the first day of the crisis, ) numbered between 300 and 400. And between 400 and 500 on Thursday, the 9th April, the second week of the crisis.
On Thursday, the l6th April, (the third week of the crisis, ) when it was tolerably notorious that work, and not aims, would be given, there presented themselves but 50 applicants, to try how far the Guardians were in earnest. The stone-yard, and in some few cases the workhouse, was offered to these 50 individuals; and I found, on examination of the labour-book, that, out of the 60, six only had availed themselves of this relief.
On Thursday, the 23d April, (from which day piece-work was to begin, ) I attended the Board of Guardians, and I do not think 10 applications from weavers came before us; and of the 10, four were from the six stone-breakers of the previous week; three of whom, as being known of old for idle and ill-conducted men, received orders of admittance into the workhouse; whilst the fourth, as being infirm of body, and industrious in disposition, re ceived a month's out-relief.
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