poverty

Question 1

what happened to beggars from 1531

Answer 1

there were publicly whipped

Question 2

what happened if unlicensed beggars were caught for a second time

Answer 2

they would have a hole burned in their ear

Question 3

what would happen if unlicensed beggars were caught a third time

Answer 3

they would be hanged

Question 4

what did the 1576 ‘act for setting the poor on work’ do

Answer 4

place the responsibility for finding work for the poor in the hands of local authorities while the national policy still focused on punishment

Question 5

what approach was taken to poverty in London

Answer 5

• Bridewell Palace was used as a shelter for the homeless
• a new hospital, known as Bedlam was established for the mentally ill
• other hospitals were opened for orphans and the sick

Question 6

how did York deal with the problem of poverty

Answer 6

• in 1515, York corporation began issuing beggar licenses
  -> licenses beggars were required to wear a badge so they could be identified
• from 1528, a master beggar was appointed, whose job it was to keep a check on the rest
• many beggars were expected to work - weaving and spinning in particular helped increase the city’s growing industry
• those who refused to work were sent to the house of correction or were returned to the town/village they came from

Question 7

how did Ipswich deal with the problem of poverty

Answer 7

• in 1569 it introduced a licensing system for beggars and increased support for the poor
• one of the irs’s towns to open a hospital specifically to help the old and sick who couldn’t afford treatment
• youth training scheme was introduced
  -> helped children learn a trade that would bring them out of poverty
• house of correction

Question 8

how did Norwich respond to poverty

Answer 8

• 1570 a survey showed 80% of the population lived in poverty
• poor were separated into ‘idle poor’ and ‘unfortunate poor’
• ‘idle poor’ were given work such a knitting or sewing
• ‘unfortunate poor’ were given food and other forms of care and support
  -> system was effective in limiting numbers of people who received poor relief
• taxed its rich citizens to pat for the care of the vulnerable

Question 9

when was the first ever poor law introduced

Answer 9

1601

Question 10

what did the 1601 poor law state

Answer 10

in every area of the country, the rich should be taxed to pay for support and care of the vulnerable, including the old and sick

fit and healthy poor were given work

Question 11

the helpless poor:

Answer 11

• sick and old were given food to live on and placed in special homes where they could be cared for

Question 12

the able bodied poor

Answer 12

those who were considered fit, including children, were expected to work
were given food and drink in payment, and sometimes, somewhere to sleep

Question 13

the idle poor

Answer 13

those who were seen as lazy were whipped then send to a house of correction where they would be forced to work

Question 14

how were the 1601 poor laws successful

Answer 14

• saw in decrease in amount of begging

Question 15

how were the 1601 poor laws not entirely successful

Answer 15

• each area was responsible for its own poor -> arguments over which areas paupers belonged to
• without a clear home some paupers were simply sent from one area to another