Parochial Boards and Parish Councils
The Poor Law (Scotland) Act 1845 established parochial boards throughout Scotland in civil parishes and a central Board of Supervision in Edinburgh.[1] The constitution of the boards in rural areas depended on whether or not they imposed a poor rate. If they did not, they would be composed of the heritors and kirk session; if they did, then as well as the heritors and kirk session they were required to add a varying number of members elected locally. Only a minority of parishes were legally assessed for poor rates in 1845 but most were by 1862. The entitlement to poor relief remained unchanged and excluded the able-bodied unemployed. Each parochial board was required to appoint an inspector of the poor who was in charge of the day-to-day administration of relief. They were also permitted to build poorhouses, whether alone or in combination with other parochial boards and could subscribe to hospitals.[2]
Other functions were added to the duties of the parochial boards outwith the burghs, for example by including them as one of the local authorities under the Public Health Act 1867.[3] Public health duties included the regulation of lodging houses, removal of nuisances, construction of sewers, water supply and the control of infectious diseases. This legislation also empowered local authorities to build hospitals, to appoint medical and sanitary inspectors and to form special drainage and water districts.[4] Parochial boards (and town councils acting as parochial boards) were also given powers under the Burial Grounds (Scotland) Act 1855 to close and open burial grounds, acquire land for that purpose and appoint staff to deal with burials.[5] They were also given some responsibilities for paying for the education of children in reformatories.[6] The public health powers of parochial boards in the landward area were transferred to county councils by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 and special drainage districts and water districts were transferred to sub-committees of county councils.[7]
Parochial boards were replaced by wholly elected parish councils and the Board of Supervision by the Local Government Board for Scotland under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1894.[8] The new parish councils acquired a few additional functions, including the power to acquire buildings for public offices and ground for recreational purposes, and the administration of rights of way. They could also take land on lease for allotments and could take over the administration of certain types of parish trusts and the maintenance of churchyards. From 1925 all remaining churchyards belonging to heritors were transferred to parish councils.[9] Parish councils were abolished by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 which transferred their functions to the county councils, district councils and town councils.[10]
Surviving records of parish councils and parochial boards are held by local authority archives services.
Compilers: SCAN contributors (2000). Editor: Elspeth Reid (2021)
Related Knowledge Base entries
Parochial boards and parish council records
Bibliography
Crowther, M. Anne., ‘Poverty, Health and Welfare’, in People and Society in Scotland, 1830-1914, ed. by W. Hamish Fraser and R. J. Morris (John Donald, 1990), pp. 265-89
Levitt, Ian (ed.) Government and Social Conditions in Scotland 1845-1919 (Scottish History Society, 1988)
References
[1] Poor Law (Scotland) Act 1845 (8 & 9 Vict. c.83).
[2] Poor Law (Scotland) Act 1845 (8 & 9 Vict. c.83) ss.60-61, 66-67.
[3] Public Health (Scotland) Act 1867 (30 & 31 Vict. c.101).
[4] Public Health (Scotland) Act 1867 (30 & 31 Vict. c.101) s.8, s.76, s.89.
[5] Burial Grounds (Scotland) Act 1855 (18 & 19 Vict. c.68).
[6] Reformatory Schools (Scotland) Act 1854 (17 & 18 Vict. c.74).
[7] Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict. c.50).
[8] Local Government (Scotland) Act 1894 (57 & 58 Vict. c.58).
[9] The Church of Scotland (Property and Endowments) Act 1925 (Geo. V c.33) s.32.
[10] Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 (19 & 20 Geo. V c.25).