| Description | The boarding out of children within a Union, whilst not a formal part of the Poor Law, was nevertheless practised by several Boards throughout the country. In response to this, the Local Government Board sent out orders in 1870 and 1889, in an attempt to crystallise these ideas, and provide Guardians with guidelines on how best to carry them out (see GP AS/1/1/2 and GP B/1/1/7). Previously, Unions were restricted to boarding out within their own area - a restriction that could prove detrimental to the children in over-crowded urban districts. The Order sought to allow the Guardians greater freedom in this respect, whilst at the same time restricting the numbers of children to be boarded-out. They were to include only those who were either orphaned, or had been abandoned by their parents. The emphasis was also on younger children, boarding them out at as early an age as possible. The boarding-out process, away from the Workhouse, was designed to back-up the work of the district schools, in providing the children with a solid home life. In drafting this order, the Board also advised the setting up of a Boarding-Out Committee, the minutes of which survive (see GP AS/2/3). These practices continued until 1909, when another Government Board Order was issued which widened the circle of children eligible for boarding out.
Whilst no formal Government Order regarding the keeping of records for the boarding-out of children has been identified, nevertheless the Guardians kept registers in a similar vein to those relating to apprenticeships (see GP AS/11/4). As well as the name of the child, the volume contains their age and date of adoption, along with the name, trade and address of the foster parent. In some cases, further remarks regarding the background to each adoption is given, with each entry being signed by the Chairman of the Board. |