London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1659-1930

Source Information

Ancestry.com. London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1659-1930 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
Original data: Board of Guardians records held by the London Metropolitan Archives, London, England.

Images produced by permission of the City of London Corporation Libraries, Archives and Guildhall Art Gallery Department. The City of London gives no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for the purpose of the information provided. Images may be used only for purposes of research, private study or education. Applications for any other use should be made to the City of London, Guildhall, PO Box 270, London EC2P 2EJ. Infringement of the above condition may result in legal action.

About London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1659-1930

Historical Background:

For many centuries, the task of caring for the poor was left to the Church. Each parish was given an Overseer of the Poor to help with this cause in 1572. Then, in 1601, the Poor Law Act empowered these Overseers to collect a poor rate from wealthier members of the parish, and distribute the funds among the poor.

The 1601 law remained in effect until 1834 when a new law, the Poor Law Amendment Act took over. This collected parishes into groups called Unions. Each Union elected a Board of Guardians, which was then responsible for the care of the poor across all the individual parishes.

Many of our ancestors received help through these Poor Laws. These included the elderly, orphaned, unemployed, sick and afflicted. It wasn’t just money they were given – they also received other daily necessities such as food, clothing and work. Children from poor families were placed in apprenticeships, or sent to particular schools and other institutions.

What’s Included in This Database:

This collection includes selected admission and discharge records for workhouses created and administered under the Poor Law Acts in London.

The exact information you can find about your ancestors varies according to the record.

You may find:

  • The person’s name

  • Date of admission

  • Age

  • Date of discharge

  • Other details regarding the person’s condition and care

Details of additional family members who resided in the workhouse may also be included.

Search Tip: Admission and Discharge records are often split over multiple images, be sure to browse forward and back in order to find all available details about the individual.