‘Who were the poor? Poverty and the
workhouse in nineteenth-century Lancashire’
I am delighted to invite you to the first lecture in the UCLan Guild Lecture Series which will take place on
Thursday 9th February at 7pm in Darwin Lecture Theatre, Darwin Building.
The talk, by Dr Andrew Gritt, Director of the Institute of Local and Family History, School of Education and Social
Science, will discuss the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act in 1834 which introduced a new chapter in the history
of welfare in England and Wales, starkly manifest by the ‘Bastilles’ of the poor: the Union workhouses.
Initially this new law was fiercely resisted, especially in the north of England where strong local identity,
independence from Westminster and a conservative attachment to welfare as a ‘right’ combined with a strong work ethic
amongst the working population. However, attitudes started to change and the poor were increasingly seen as the authors
of their own misfortune not deserving of generous relief or compassion.
This lecture looks at the poor themselves, revealing the mixed circumstances of paupers and their sometimes
dubious histories. The result is a fascinating insight into the complex lives of the Victorian poor.
Tickets are free of charge and will be issued on a first come, first served basis. Free car parking is also
available on the evening.
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