The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 and its administration entailed the creation of entirely new administrative areas throughout the United Kingdom: groups of parishes known as Poor Law Unions or simply Unions.
(Parish here = civil parish, defined as "area[s] for which a poor rate is or can be assessed" in mid-19th century legislation, as for example the Poor Law Amendment Act 1866; the thing is of course older than the term).
These groupings were based on geographical and demographic practicalities and took little account of most previous administrative arrangements, even cutting across county boundaries if necessary. By doing so there were created new Poor Law Counties, so called, in regard to the Poor Law itself, and other administrative functions, such as the decennial census, which used the Union boundaries. Note below, for example, Bourton and Silton, which although in Dorset, were for decades in the Wiltshire Union of Mere, and thus the Poor Law County of Wiltshire; the Somerset parishes in Sherborne Union, and thus in the Poor Law County of Dorset; and Lyme Regis, in Axminster Union and the Poor Law County of Devon.
In Dorset, however, the 1834 Unions were closely related to the pre-existing divisions (a unit developed principally for tax purposes), updated as recently as 1830 in a local Act of Parliament. See List of divisions in Dorset.
Separate Poor Law Unions for Wareham and for Purbeck were formed 25 March 1836, but were merged into a single Wareham & Purbeck Union in September 1836.
Separate Poor Law Unions for Wimborne and for Cranborne were formed on 28 September and 30 September 1835 respectively, but were merged into a single Wimborne & Cranborne Union in October 1836.
Boswell, Edward, 1833: The Civil Division of the County of Dorset (published on CD by Archive CD Books Ltd, 1992)
Hutchins, John, History of Dorset, vols 1-4 (3rd ed 1861-70; reprinted by EP Publishing, Wakefield, 1973)
Mills, A. D., 1977, 1980, 1989: Place Names of Dorset, parts 1-3. English Place Name Society: Survey of English Place Names vols LII, LIII and 59/60
External links
Workhouse Site
January 25, 2023
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The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 and its administration entailed the creation of entirely new administrative areas throughout the United Kingdom groups of parishes known as Poor Law Unions or simply Unions Parish here civil parish defined as area s for which a poor rate is or can be assessed in mid 19th century legislation as for example the Poor Law Amendment Act 1866 the thing is of course older than the term These groupings were based on geographical and demographic practicalities and took little account of most previous administrative arrangements even cutting across county boundaries if necessary By doing so there were created new Poor Law Counties so called in regard to the Poor Law itself and other administrative functions such as the decennial census which used the Union boundaries Note below for example Bourton and Silton which although in Dorset were for decades in the Wiltshire Union of Mere and thus the Poor Law County of Wiltshire the Somerset parishes in Sherborne Union and thus in the Poor Law County of Dorset and Lyme Regis in Axminster Union and the Poor Law County of Devon In Dorset however the 1834 Unions were closely related to the pre existing divisions a unit developed principally for tax purposes updated as recently as 1830 in a local Act of Parliament See List of divisions in Dorset The Unions once established were used as the basis for subsequent administrative changes they were taken from 1837 as the civil registration districts and also as the basis for the sanitary districts introduced in the 1870s see List of sanitary districts in Dorset Contents 1 Unions in Dorset and the civil parishes contained in each 1 1 Beaminster Union 1 2 Blandford Union 1 3 Bridport Union 1 4 Cerne Union 1 5 Dorchester Union 1 6 Poole Union 1 7 Shaftesbury Union 1 8 Sherborne Union 1 9 Sturminster Union 1 10 Wareham amp Purbeck Union 1 11 Weymouth Union 1 12 Wimborne amp Cranborne Union 2 Unions in other Poor Law counties containing Dorset civil parishes 2 1 Axminster Union 2 2 Chard Union 2 3 Mere Union 2 4 Wincanton Union 3 References and sources 4 External linksUnions in Dorset and the civil parishes contained in each EditBeaminster Union Edit Dorset Beaminster Bettiscombe Broadwindsor Burstock Chedington Corscombe East Chelborough Evershot Halstock Hooke Mapperton Marshwood Melbury Osmond Melbury Sampford Mosterton Netherbury North Poorton Pilsdon Powerstock Rampisham South Perrott Stoke Abbott West Chelborough Wraxall Somerset Misterton transferred to Chard PLU 1896 Seaborough transferred to Dorset 1895 Devon Thorncombe transferred from Axminster PLU 1894 transferred to Devon 1844 and back to Dorset 1896 Blandford Union Edit Almer transferred to Wimborne PLU 1894 Anderson Blandford Forum Blandford St Mary Bryanston Charlton Marshall Durweston Hilton Iwerne Courtney Iwerne Stepleton Langton Long Blandford Milborne St Andrew Milborne Stileham Milton Abbas Pimperne Spetisbury Stourpaine Tarrant Crawford Tarrant Gunville Tarrant Hinton Tarrant Keyneston Tarrant Launceston Tarrant Monkton Tarrant Rawston Tarrant Rushton Turnworth Winterborne Clenston Winterborne Houghton Winterborne Kingston Winterborne Stickland Winterborne Tomson Winterborne Whitchurch Winterborne ZelstonLater Additions Chettle transferred from Wimborne PLU 1894 Farnham transferred from Wimborne PLU 1894 dd Bridport Union Edit Allington Askerswell Bothenhampton Bradpole Bridport Burton Bradstock Catherston Leweston Chideock Chilcombe Litton Cheney Loders Puncknowle Shipton Gorge Stanton St Gabriel Swyre Symondsbury Walditch Whitchurch Canonicorum Wootton FitzpaineLater Additions Charmouth transferred from Axminster PLU 1896 dd Cerne Union Edit Alton Pancras Batcombe Buckland Newton Cattistock Cerne Abbas Cheselbourne West Compton Frome St Quintin Glanvilles Wootton Godmanstone Gorewood Hermitage Hilfield Mappowder Melbury Bubb Melcombe Horsey Minterne Magna Nether Cerne Piddletrenthide Pulham Sydling St Nicholas Up CerneCranborne see Wimborne Dorchester Union Edit Athelhampton Bradford Peverell Broadmayne Burleston Charminster Chilfrome Compton Valence Dewlish Dorchester All Saints Holy Trinity St Peter Fordington Frampton Frome Vauchurch Kingston Russell Littlebredy Long Bredy Maiden Newton Piddlehinton Puddletown Stinsford Stratton Tincleton Toller Fratrum Toller Porcorum Tolpuddle Warmwell West Knighton West Stafford Whitcombe Winterborne Came Winterborne Herringston Winterborne Monkton Winterborne St Martin Winterbourne Abbas Winterbourne Steepleton Woodsford Wynford EagleLater Additions Watercombe from 1862 dd Poole Union Edit Canford Magna Hamworthy Kinson Longfleet Lytchett Matravers Lytchett Minster Parkstone Poole Poole St James Later Additions Branksome from 1894 dd Purbeck see Wareham Shaftesbury Union Edit Ashmore Cann Compton Abbas East Orchard East Stour Fontmell Magna Gillingham Iwerne Minster Margaret Marsh Melbury Abbas Motcombe Shaftesbury Holy Trinity St James St Peter Stour Provost Sutton Waldron Todber West Orchard West StourLater Additions all in 1894 Alcester created from Shaftesbury Bourton and Silton transferred from Mere PLU Buckhorn Weston and Kington Magna transferred from Wincanton PLU dd Sherborne Union Edit Dorset Beer Hackett Bishops Caundle Bradford Abbas Castleton Caundle Marsh Chetnole Clifton Maybank Folke Haydon Holnest Leigh Leweston Lillington Longburton Nether Compton North Wootton Oborne Over Compton Purse Caundle Ryme Intrinseca Sherborne Stockwood Thornford Yetminster Somerset Holwell transferred to Dorset 1844 Goathill Poyntington Sandford Orcas Trent all transferred to Dorset 1895 Marston Magna transferred to Yeovil PLU 1894 Rimpton transferred to Yeovil PLU 1896 Sturminster Union Edit Belchalwell divided between Fifehead Neville and Okeford Fitzpaine 1884 Child Okeford Fifehead Magdalen Fifehead Neville Hammoon Hazelbury Bryan Hinton St Mary Ibberton Lydlinch Manston Marnhull Okeford Fitzpaine Shillingstone Stalbridge Stock Gaylard Stoke Wake Stourton Caundle Sturminster Newton WoollandLater Addition Hanford from 1858 dd Wareham amp Purbeck Union Edit Separate Poor Law Unions for Wareham and for Purbeck were formed 25 March 1836 but were merged into a single Wareham amp Purbeck Union in September 1836 The original Wareham Union Affpuddle Arne Bere Regis Bloxworth Chaldon Herring Coombe Keynes East Holme East Lulworth East Stoke Morden Moreton Turners Puddle Wareham Holy Trinity Lady St Mary St Martin West Lulworth Winfrith Newburgh Wool The original Purbeck Union Church Knowle Corfe Castle Kimmeridge Langton Matravers Steeple Studland Swanage Tyneham Worth MatraversWeymouth Union Edit Abbotsbury Bincombe Broadwey Buckland Ripers Fleet Langton Herring Melcombe Regis Osmington Owermoigne Portesham Portland Preston Poxwell Radipole Upwey West Chickerell Weymouth Wyke RegisWimborne amp Cranborne Union Edit Separate Poor Law Unions for Wimborne and for Cranborne were formed on 28 September and 30 September 1835 respectively but were merged into a single Wimborne amp Cranborne Union in October 1836 The original Wimborne Union Chalbury Corfe Mullen Hampreston Hinton Martell Hinton Parva Shapwick Sturminster Marshall West Parley Wimborne Minster Witchampton The original Cranborne Union Chettle moved to Blandford PLU 1894 Cranborne Edmondsham Farnham moved to Blandford PLU 1894 Gussage All Saints Gussage St Michael Horton Long Crichel Moor Crichel Pentridge Sixpenny Handley Tollard Royal Wimborne St Giles WoodlandsLater additions East Woodyates and West Woodyates created 1858 Almer transferred from Blandford PLU 1894 Alderholt and Verwood created from Cranborne 1894 Holt and Pamphill created from Wimborne Minster from 1894 Colehill created from Holt 1896 dd Unions in other Poor Law counties containing Dorset civil parishes EditAxminster Union Edit in Devon Chardstock Charmouth 1836 94 Hawkchurch Lyme Regis Thorncombe 1836 94 Chard Union Edit in Somerset WambrookMere Union Edit in Wiltshire Bourton 1835 94 Silton 1835 94 Wincanton Union Edit in Somerset Buckhorn Weston 1835 94 Kington Magna 1835 94 References and sources EditBoswell Edward 1833 The Civil Division of the County of Dorset published on CD by Archive CD Books Ltd 1992 Hutchins John History of Dorset vols 1 4 3rd ed 1861 70 reprinted by EP Publishing Wakefield 1973 Mills A D 1977 1980 1989 Place Names of Dorset parts 1 3 English Place Name Society Survey of English Place Names vols LII LIII and 59 60External links EditWorkhouse Site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of poor law unions in Dorset amp oldid 1083360672, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
