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                  What is the difference between a poorhouse and a workhouse?

                  There were some differences between Scottish and English legislation regarding the funding and appeal system of the Poor Law, but there does not appear to have been any tangible difference between English ‘workhouses’ and Scottish ‘poorhouses’. It is not clear why the English, by and large, preferred the term ‘workhouse’ and the Scots, by and large, preferred ‘poorhouse’.

                  What do the terms ‘indoor relief’ and ‘outdoor relief’ mean?

                  ‘Indoor relief’ meant admission to a poorhouse. ‘Outdoor relief’ meant another form of poor relief, usually a single or regular money payment, but sometimes outdoor relief was in the form of medicine, clothing or the payment of school fees.

                  What is meant by the terms ‘test case’ and ‘test ward’?

                  A ‘test case’ refers to an application for relief where the Inspector of the Poor suspected that the applicant could be supported by himself/herself or by his/her family. The applicant would be offered ‘indoor relief’ in the ‘test ward’ of a poorhouse. Those admitted to the test ward had to endure a tougher, more restrictive regime than those in other wards. The assumption was that many applicants would either refuse indoor relief in the test ward or, if admitted, would not endure the test ward for long: either discharging themselves or absconding.

                  Where should I look for information on poorhouses?

                  If you are interested in looking for the records of a particular poorhouse, you should contact each of the following, who might hold the records:

                  • your local authority archives service,
                  • your local health board archives (possibly within a university archives)

                  Bear in mind that substantial records do not survive for most poorhouses

                  A useful website is <http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Scotland/> [accessed 26 April 2024]. This website focuses mainly on poor relief in England but has helpful information about the Scottish law and systems.