Paupers

Paupers

The St Ives Union Workhouse housed many of St Ives' poor. But not all. At the height of hardship in 1851, there were 320 from St Ives and the surrounding area in the workhouse. There were also 79 St Ivians receiving relief in their homes. Grants for food, clothing and fuel were available, funded by a tax on the town's property owners. These grants carried a great social stigma. Why did some St Ivians receive 'outdoor relief' rather than go to the workhouse? Who were they and what was life like? Read on to learn more.

Care for the poor

Originally, all relief came as grants of money, food, clothing or fuel. In 1601 Queen Elizabeth I passed the Act for the Relief of the Poor. This made parishes responsible for their care. A poor rate tax on property owners funded the cost. Churchwardens collected taxes and distributed poor relief. The Act required those receiving poor relief to wear a red and blue badge denoting their parish. An example is 'SP' for St Ives Pauper. Not all parishes insisted on this.

Thomas Rowlandson's depiction of a churchwarden's meeting, 1806.

In the early 1800s, there was an economic downturn and less need for agricultural labour. The amount spent on poor relief had quadrupled. There was a widespread belief the system was being abused. The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 encouraged the building of union workhouses. Economies of scale applied by housing the poor in a single location. Groups of parishes, or 'unions', built their own. Soon, there were hundreds of workhouses throughout England. Conditions inside the workhouse were often harsh to discourage their use. Boards of Guardians replaced the duties of churchwardens, elected by the property owners of the parish.

Some poor continued to receive grants. Termed 'outdoor relief', this applied to those still living in their own homes. For those in need, this was a preferred form of support. It also cost half as much as support in the workhouse. Even so, Guardians sought to reduce the number receiving outdoor relief. For able-bodied men and their families, the workhouse was the only option.

Outdoor relief at St Ives

Census records used terms such as 'pauper' or 'receiving relief from the parish'. The numbers of St Ivians on outdoor relief varied. From none in 1841, the number rose to a peak of 79 in 1851. Another period of low numbers followed, ranging from 15 in 1861, to none in 1911.

The 1851 census gives a snapshot of how economic changes could cause poverty. There was a quadrupling of workhouse inmates in the ten years from 1841. More than half of those in the Workhouse in 1851 were there through unemployment. Almost half the male occupants showed their occupation as 'farm labourer'. It was a hard time if you worked on the land. Developments in agriculture meant farmers needed fewer workers. Once a farm labourer lost his job, the tied cottage went as well, dilapidated as it might have been. Farmers hired workers for the day rather than give them a permanent job.  

The Irish Potato Famine was another cause of the 1851 unemployment crisis. One million people emigrated from Ireland. Many travelled to ports such as Liverpool, Cardiff and Glasgow. Most stayed near to where they landed, too destitute to venture further inland. But there is evidence some made it as far as St Ives. The 1851 census describes four St Ives Workhouse inmates as 'Irish tramp'. No doubt more were working in and around St Ives. With an excess of labour, farmers could reduce wages.

St Ivians on outdoor relief

There were no old age pensions, unemployment benefits or health insurance. Agricultural labourers, one of the most common occupations in St Ives, earned about £1 a week. Surveys by Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree showed earnings below £1 a week ensured a life of hardship.

If the main wage earner in a family died or could not work, the whole family would end up in poverty. Membership of a Self Help Club could provide some protection. Outdoor relief or the workhouse loomed for St Ivians facing old age and illness.

Here are the life stories of three such St Ivians.

WILLIAM HARRUP was born in St Ives in 1803. The 1841 census records William's age as 35 years. Today most people have their birth certificates as proof of age. In the 1800s such detail relied on memory, and was thus somewhat 'elastic'. William was married with six children. They lived in Green Street, one of the poorest parts of St Ives. William worked as a groom, later termed an ostler. He looked after horses stabled in one of St Ives' inns.

William lived in Back Street (today East Street) in 1851. Son James, aged 13 years and also an ostler, was still at home. Also daughter Eliza, aged 24 years, described as 'pauper'. The 1851 census for the first time included a last column headed 'Whether blind, or dead and dumb'. There was no entry in this column for Eliza.

Another move by 1861, to Ramsey Road. Son Charles had returned home to join his brother James. Eliza, unmarried and aged 36 years, had no occupation.

William was still working in 1871, as a gardener aged 68 years. Eliza, aged 42 years, remained at home. The last column heading in the census had changed to 'Whether deaf and dumb, blind, imbecile or idiot, or lunatic'. Thus column showed 'Badly burned in childhood' against Eliza's name.

In 1881 William, Mary and Eliza lived in Westwood Road. The census still showed William as 'Gardener', but also 'Blind'. It described Eliza as 'Invalid'.

William, 87 years, Mary, 86 years, and Eliza, 61 years, were all described as 'Receives parish relief' by 1891. Daughter Sarah, single aged 52 years, had returned home.

Both William and Mary died in 1895, William aged 91 years. Eliza died in 1897.

FANNY (FRANCES) PHILLIPS was born in St Ives in 1821. In 1841, with age recorded as 15 years, Fanny lived with her mother Elizabeth, and sister Mary, aged 10 years, also in Green Street. She knew the Harrup family. Fanny's father, William, was an agricultural labourer.

By 1851, sister Mary had left home. Both Fanny and her mother worked as charwomen. Son in law and granddaughter were living with the family. The column in the census for 'Deaf, dumb or blind' was blank for Fanny.

Both Fanny's parents died by 1861. Fanny lived in Peek's Yard, one of the 49 yards of St Ives in which the poor lived. She shared with her 14 year old niece Anne, a dyer's assistant. There was no occupation recorded for Fanny.

The 1871 census records Fanny living alone in Peek's Yard, unmarried, aged 50 years. It describes her as 'Parish pauper'. The last column of the census asked 'Whether deaf and dumb, blind, imbecile or idiot, or lunatic'. This column showed 'Crippled from birth'.

Fanny lived in Peek's Yard in two rooms for over 40 years, most of that time alone. Throughout, she received outdoor relief. Besides being crippled, by 1901 Fanny was blind. Living with her was Keele Munns, a 57 year old Irish widow acting as domestic servant. Fanny died in 1902, aged 80 years.

CAROLINE BELL was born in St Ives about 1830, probably in Bull Lane. In census records her age varied. Caroline's father, Thomas, was a waterman. She had two older brothers.

In 1848, aged 18 years, Caroline married Robert Wilkinson, also a waterman. Robert was often away from home, plying his trade on the River Great Ouse. On the night of the 1851 census, Caroline was alone at home in Magpie Alley (now Wellington Lane). With her was 4 month old son William.

The 1861 census records Caroline, aged 31 years, as 'Pauper'. She had four children aged between 10 years and 1 year. Robert died the year before. Times were tough for the young family.

All four children remained at home in 1871, living at 24 Filbert's Walk. Three of the children worked, and Caroline was a charwoman. By 1881 she lived alone.

A move to New Road in four rooms by 1891. Caroline, aged 59 years, had two boarders. The 1901 census recorded her occupation as 'letter of apartments, lodging house'. She had one boarder.

By 1911 Caroline lived with son-in-law, George Marritt, and her youngest daughter, Frances. George was the stationmaster at Gosberton Station, Lincolnshire. It was a busy household. Five children, a niece and Caroline, lived in the six roomed stationmaster's house.

Caroline died in 1920, aged 89 years.