Vagabonds Act 1536
Act of Parliament | |
Parliament of England | |
Long title | An Act for Punishment of sturdy Vagabonds and Beggars. |
---|---|
Citation | 27 Hen. 8. c. 25 |
Dates | |
Royal assent | 14 April 1536 |
Other legislation | |
Repealed by | Statute Law Revision Act 1863 |
Status: Repealed | |
Text of statute as originally enacted |
The Act for Punishment of Sturdy Vagabonds and Beggars (27 Hen. 8. c. 25) was an act passed in Tudor England by Henry VIII. It is part of the Tudor Poor Laws. It was the earliest English Poor Law to provide for structured collections for the poor.
The 1536 act provided that “sturdy” vagabonds should be set to work after being punished.[1] It also provided that local mayors, bailiffs, constables, and other officers were responsible for ensuring that the poor in their parish were cared for such that they need not beg.[2] Although they could not use municipal funds nor levy a compulsory tax on the parish to raise this money, they organized collections in a common box.[2] In addition, voluntary contributions to the poor other than through the common box were made illegal; the goal of this latter provision was to control discriminatory giving.[3]
Although this act lapsed later in 1536, its designation of the parish as the administrator of charitable giving lasted into future poor law reforms.[4]
References
- ^ Slack, Paul (1995). The English Poor Law 1531–1782. Economic History Society (1st Cambridge University Press ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-55785-2. OCLC 32465221.
- ^ a b Sidney & Beatrice Webb, English Local Government: English Poor Law History Part 1. The Old Poor Law 46 (1927)
- ^ Slack, Paul (1990). The English Poor Law 1531–1782. p. 17.
- ^ Slack, Paul (1990). The English Poor Law 1531–1782. p. 59.
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- England and Wales
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Nantwich workhouse
- Vagabonds and Beggars Act 1494
- Tudor poor laws
- Poor Relief Act 1597
- Poor Relief Act 1601
- Poor Relief Act 1662
- Relief of the Poor Act 1696
- Poor Relief Act 1722
- Relief of the Poor Act 1782
- House of correction
- Overseer of the poor
- Poor rate
- Poor relief
- Buttock mail
- Liberal welfare reforms
- Royal Commission (1905–09)
- Majority Report
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- Interwar poverty
- National Assistance Act 1948