| Description | The Relief committee is first mentioned in the Board of Guardians' minutes for April 1841, where the Bye-Law committee suggest that it should be set up 'to insure the punctual and efficient discharge of the duties of this [i.e. the relief] department.' Made up of 24 Guardians, the Relief committee was responsible for deciding on all applications made for out-relief, applications that would have been forwarded to them by the Relieving Officers. For the purposes of relief, the Union was divided into 4 districts, each with their own Relieving Officer and premises. From west to east, the city was divided along Islington, Broad Street, Paradise Street, Ann Street, Steelhouse Lane and Aston Street, and from north to south, along Great Hampton Street, Constitution Hill, Snow Hill, Bull Street, High Street and Digbeth.
The Relief committee's minutes give details on the numbers of relief cases examined by the committee during each meeting, and some details on individual paupers. The volume is not indexed. |