Making ends meet on Nunnery Lane: revealing local poverty in the Victorian period
Our Poverty Project (2018-2023) used the Poor Law Records in York Explore as a basis for examining the lives of poor people in York, particularly in the parish of St Mary Bishophill Junior.
We covered three five-year periods: 1837-42, 1857-62, and 1877-82. Our research included data analysis, brief life stories and a detailed case study from each period. Blogs and reports of our findings are noted below. However, this is only part of our research.
We used many supplementary resources to underpin our project, and created some of our own. Future researchers can access our reading list of books, articles and guides here. Our transcripts of Application and Report Books, and Outdoor Relief Books are presented in Excel:
Application and Report Books for St Mary Bishophill Junior (Excel spreadsheets)
These books record people who sought relief from the York Poor Law Union. They note information about family members, addresses, occupations, and the reasons for application. The books record whether they were granted Out Relief, sent to the Workhouse or 'not entertained'. At first, costs were paid by the pauper’s Parish of Settlement (generally where they or their husband were born). The spreadsheets for the 1841 period record all applicants supported by the parish of St Mary Bishophill Junior. They include paupers living within the parish and also residents whose settlement was with St Mary Bishophill Junior but who lived in other parishes. Tweaks were made to this system as the century progressed, so the 1861 and 1881 periods show only applicants actually living in the Parish of St Mary Bishophill Junior. NB There are no books for the City Parishes after 1882.
1839 – 1843 Applicants from the Parish of St Mary Bishophill Junior
1859 – 1863 Applicants living in the Parish of St Mary Bishophill Junior
1873 – 1882 Applicants living in the Parish of St Mary Bishophill Junior
Outdoor Relief Books for St Mary Bishophill Junior (Excel spreadsheets)
These books record the amounts of money received each week by paupers on Outdoor Relief. Sometimes relief is provided in kind (eg flour). Personal information is basic – only name, amount given and category of pauper (eg adult male relieved on account of sickness, widow). Very occasionally other items are noted (eg money for a doctor, or a cab to the Workhouse). Street names are given in the 1873-1898 period
1839 – 1843 Recipients in the Parish of St Mary Bishophill Junior
1859 – 1863 Recipients in the Parish of St Mary Bishophill Junior
1873 – 1898 Recipients living in the Parish of St Mary Bishophill Junior
We also have detailed notes from Micklegate Girls’ School logbooks in the 1880s.
Minutes of School Attendance Committee meetings are particularly helpful on truant and industrial schools. We include a case study of Maria Louisa and Mary Jane Dixon, who frequently came before the Attendance Committee, and were eventually sent to Hull Girls’ Industrial School.
School Attendance Committee meetings 1877-87
School Attendance Committee meetings 1887-89
School Attendance Committee meetings case study of Mary Jane and Maria Louisa Dixon
Over the last five years we've produced the following blog posts about our researches:
Update Report January 2023 York waifs and strays: Ina and Nancy Dixon are boarded out
Update Report January 2023 York waifs and strays: Ina and Nancy Dixon go to Micklegate School
Update Report January 2023 Micklegate School logbooks, selections from the 1880s
Update report December 2022 Ada's Story
Update report October 2022 Broken families: the impact of poverty and transportation on mid-nineteenth century York lives
Update report April 2022 Children and young people in York workhouse, 1879-1887
Update report April 2022 Apprentice and domestic servant bindings from York Workhouse 1879-87
Update report Nov 2021 York Poor Law Union Apprentice Indentures 1879-83
Update report Oct 2021 York waifs and strays
Update detailed report May 2021 From stray cows to iron horses: how Francis Bean escaped poverty
Update blog post Feb 2021 Stray cows and iron horses: How Francis Bean escaped the Poor Law Union
Update blog post Feb 2021 Orphans and nurse-children: growing up poor in mid-19th century York
Update blog post Nov 2020 Railway employment in Dale St, Dove St and Swann St 1841-81
Update report Oct 2020 Researching poverty in 1841 in York
Update blog post June 2020 Poverty Research Project: sources for 18th century family history
Update report April 2020 Paupers and the York Poor Law Union
Update report Oct 2019 A hand to mouth existence: the story of Eliza Seymour
Update report Aug 2019 Making ends meet: exploring mid 19th century poverty in our area
Update report Feb 2019 A Poor Law Relief Case Study: George Haw (1822-1891)
Update report Oct 2018 What was is like to be poor in 19th century York
If you would like to know more please contact Dick Hunter on enquiries@clementshall.org.uk
