BOOK: John SHAW, ed., The Loes and Wilford Poor Law Incorporation, 1765-1826 “A Prison with a Milder Name” (Suffolk: Boydell & Brewer, 2019). ISBN 9781783273829, £40.00

(Source: Boydell & Brewer)

Boydell & Brewer have published a new book on English poor law.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Between 1660 and 1841, some 149 "corporations of the poor" were created in England through local acts. By uniting a number of parishes, these "corporations" hoped to deal more effectively with the growing problem of pauperism. This volume, focussing on 33 parishes in the hundreds of Loes and Wilford in east Suffolk, is the first detailed exploration of a rural incorporation. The incorporation's approach towards the poor was truly revolutionary: setting the able-bodied to work in the purpose-built house of industry, educating the children, punishing the indolent, and caring for the sick and impotent in a humane way. By charting the incorporation's complete history, this volume allows for the exploration of the wide range of social policies implemented during those years. Through a wealth of documents, we witness the zeal of the initial promoters in the 1760s; the construction and management of the House; the development of medical services; the problems faced by the economic crisis of the 1790s; and, as costs continued to rise, the gradual disillusionment of the local elites, leading to the institution's demise in 1826.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JOHN SHAW obtained his PhD from the University of East Anglia

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
Editorial Conventions, Weights, Measures and Money
Glossary
First Quarterly Minute Book, 1 July 1765 - 4 March 1784
Second Quarterly Minute Book, 28 June 1784 - April 1765
Third Quarterly Minute Book, 6 July 1795 - 11 July 1805
Fourth Quarterly Minute Book, 17 October 1805 - 15 October 1812
Fifth Quarterly Minute Book, 4 January 1813 - 13 June 1817
Sixth Quarterly Minute Book, 15 October 1818 - 18 October 1820
Seventh Quarterly Minute Book, 12 October 1820 - 12 October 1826
Post Disincorporation Documents
Bibliography
Index of People and Places
Index of Subjects

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