Document Seven (a) - MH12/15158/140

A letter sent to Edwin Chadwick, discussing the Keighley Poor Law Union, whose rate payers elected a Board of Guardians who were anti-poor law in 1842. This could be seen as an act of protest in itself:

Archive reference: MH12/15158/140
Date of Letter: 6 April 1842
Poor Law Union: Keighley Poor Law Union

Castlefields nr Bingley Yorkshire
April 6th 1842
To E Chadwick Esqr
Sir
The Board of Guardians recently Elected for the whole of the Kighley Union are I fear, (with one or two exceptions) opposed to the New Poor Law. I attended with a Brother Magistrate, Mr Edwin Greenwood, the first Meeting of the New Board on Wednesday last. Having acted for two years on the first establishment of the union, as chairman of the Board I was able to inform the New Board upon one or two important points & that appeared to me to be necessary to be known. Having other public engagements to attend to did not stay till the Board broke up. Happens that after I left an order was made on the Motion of Mr Richard Metcalfe (solicitor) and Mr Josa Cowling, calling an extraordinary Meeting of the Guardians on the 2nd of April to read over all the orders and instructions & Rules received from the poor Law Commissioners from the establishment of the Union – such was the substance. I have thought it my duty to send a letter to the Board this day of which you have a copy on the other side. I Enclose also two documents recently issued – one written by myself – In the present distressed state of this union, for want of Employment to withhold out Door Relief would produce the most deplorable distress – the workhouses at Kighley & Bingley being full to overflowing
I remain Sir
Your Mo obSt
Wm Ellis

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