Poor Act 1575

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Poor Act 1575
Act of Parliament
Coat of Arms of England (1558-1603).svg
Parliament of England
Long title An Act for the setting of Poor on Work, and for the avoiding of Idleness.
Citation 18 Eliz. 1. c. 3
Territorial extent  England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent 15 March 1576
Commencement 8 February 1576 [a]
Repealed28 July 1863
Other legislation
Amends Vagabonds Act 1572
Amended by
Repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1863
Relates to
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Poor Act 1575 (18 Eliz. 1. c. 3) was an act of the Parliament of England under Queen Elizabeth I. It was a part of the Tudor Poor Laws and a predecessor to the Elizabethan Poor Laws.

Contents

The act required parishes to create “a competent stock of wool, hemp, flax, iron and other stuff” for the poor to work on. It also created houses of correction where recalcitrant or careless workers could be forced to work and punished accordingly. [1]

The act built substantially on the Vagabonds Act 1572 (14 Eliz. 1. c. 5), [2] and combined, they formed the basis for the subsequent Elizabethan Poor Laws. [3]

Subsequent developments

The whole act was continued until the end of the next session of parliament by the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1584 (27 Eliz. 1. c. 11), the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1586 (29 Eliz. 1. c. 5), the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1588 (31 Eliz. 1. c. 10), the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1592 (35 Eliz. 1. c. 7), the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1597 (39 Eliz. 1. c. 18), the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1601 (43 Eliz. 1. c. 9) and the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1623 (21 Jas. 1. c. 28).

The act was amended by the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1592 (35 Eliz. 1. c. 7) to allow land to be given to the use of the poor.

So much of the act "as concerneth bailiffs begotten out of lawful matrimony" was continued until the end of the next session of parliament by the Continuance, etc. of Laws Act 1601 (43 Eliz. 1. c. 9).

The act "as concerneth Bastards begotten out of lawfull Matrimonie with this all Justice of the peace within their severall limits and pcincts and in their severall Sessions may doe and execute all things concerning that part of the said Statute that by Justice of the Peace in the severall Counties are by the said Statute lymited to be done" was continued by section 3 of the Continuance of Laws, etc. Act 1627 (3 Cha. 1 . c. 5).

Notes

  1. ↑ Start of session.

References

  1. ↑ Sidney & Beatrice Webb, English Local Government: English Poor Law History Part 1, pg. 53
  2. ↑ Sidney & Beatrice Webb, English Local Government: English Poor Law History Part 1, pg. 52
  3. ↑ Paul Slack, The English Poor Law 1531-1782 18--19
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