2:00 pm | 05/11/2026
Join Dr Paul Carter of the National Archives and discover more about their new project, A Century of Struggle: Pauperism and the New Poor Law in Wales, 1834-1930.
This talk will focus on the lived experience of the 19th century Welsh poor with an emphasis on the Southern Welsh counties. With the introduction of the New Poor Law in 1834 we will ask how the poor responded to the overall cuts to relief, the rise of the Victorian workhouse system and the idea that deterrence was to be woven into the very idea of welfare. We will look at the New Poor Law through multiple voices contained in contemporary letters written by paupers, the wider poor and those willing to be their advocates. The poor were not reticent to set out what they considered ‘fair and just’ and their letters were attempts (sometimes successful) to hold local poor law authorities to account.
Paul Carter is the Principal Records Specialist (Collaborative Projects) at The National Archives and leads, with the Aberystwyth University and Nottingham Trent University, the Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project A Century of Struggle: Pauperism and the New Poor Law in Wales, 1834-1930.
This event will be held in person at Glamorgan Archives.
Book your FREE place here https://www.ticketsource.com/glamorgan-archives/t-xdzddjq
Location
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Archifau Morgannwg
Clos Parc Morgannwg,
Leckwith,
CF11 8AW