Denbighshire Poor Law Unions

Wales  Denbighshire  Poor Law Unions

Under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 all parishes in Wales and England were grouped together into Poor Law Unions. Each Poor Law Union had to provide a place where people who were unable to support themselves could live and work, known as the workhouse. Conditions in the workhouses were deliberately made to be harsh, spartan and degrading so as to deter all but the absolutely destitute.

Before the 1834 Act, although some workhouses did exist, individual parishes provided relief in the form of money, food, clothing or goods, but the recipients continued to live independently.

The Workhouse system was not abolished until the 1930s.

These Poor Law Unions were based on neither county boundaries nor national boundaries, with many Unions along the Wales-England border covering parts of both countries.

The Unions

The county of Denbighshire was covered by four Unions:

Union	Parishes & Townships included
Llanrwst	The Llanrwst Union was created on 3 April 1837 and comprised the parishes and townships of: Denbighshire: Gapel Garmon, Eglwysbach, Gwytherin, Llandogged, Llangerniew, Pentrefoelas, Yspyty Ifan. Carnarfonshire: Betws y Coed, Dolwyddelan, Llanrhychwyn, Penmachno, Trefriw. The records of the Llanrwst Union are held at Denbighshire Record Office in Ruthin.
Ruthin	The Ruthin Union was created on 4 February 1837 and comprised the parishes and townships of: Aberwheeler, Clocaenog, Derwen, Efenechtyd, Gyffylliog, Llanarmon, Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd, Llandegla, Llandyrnog, Llanelidan, Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, Llanferres, Llanfwrog, Llangwyfan, Llangynhafal, Llanrhaeadr yng Nghinmeirch, Llanrhydd, Llanychan, Llanynys, Nantglyn, Ruthin. The workhouse was built in Llanrhydd Street, Ruthin. The records of the Ruthin Union are held at Denbighshire Record Office in Ruthin.
Wrexham	The Wrexham Union was created on 30 March 1837 and covered parts England. The Union comprised the parishes and townships of: Denbighshire: Abenbury Fawr, Acton, Allington, Bersham, Bieston, Borras Hovah, Borras Riffre, Broughton, Brymbo, Burton, Cacca Dutton, Dutton Diffeth, Dutton y Bran, Erlas, Erddig, Eyton, Eclusham Above, Eclusham Below, Gourton, Gwersyllt, Gresford, Llay, Holt, Minera, Ridley, Marford & Hoseley, Marchwiel, Pickhill, Royton, Ruabon, Sesswick, Stansty, Sutton, Wrexham Abbott, Wrexham Regis. Flintshire: Abenbury Fechan, Bangor is y Coed (until 30 September 1896), Erbistock, Hope, Threapwood, Treuddyn, Worthenbury (until 30 September 1896). Cheshire: Agden (until 1853), Bradley (until 1853), Chidlow (until 1853), Chorlton (until 1853), Church Shocklach (until 1896), Cuddington (until 1853), Malpas (until 1853), Newton by Malpas (until 1853), Oldcastle (until 1853), Overton (until 1853), Shocklach Oviatt (until 1896), Stockton (until 1853), Wigland (until 1853), Wychough (until 1853). The workhouse was built around 1838 off the Ruthin Road in Croesnewydd, Wrexham. Wrexham's Maelor Hospital now stands on the site. The records of the Wrexham Union are held at Denbighshire Record Office in Ruthin.
Oswestry	In 1791, the Hundred of Oswestry and the border parishes of Chirk and Llansilin were incorporated under a local Act for poor relief. The Incorporation comprised the parishes and townships of : Shropshire: Kinnerley, Knockin, Llanymynech, Llanyblodwell, Oswestry Parish, Oswestry Town and Liberties, Ruyton of the Eleven Towns, St Martins, Selattyn, Soughton (Sychtyn), West Felton, Whittington. Denbighshire: Chirk, Llansilin. The Workhouse was built at Morda. The records for the Oswestry Union are held at Shropshire Record Office in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.

The Records

Records from the Poor Law Unions include the following:

1. Guardianship
2. Creed Registers
3. Rate books
4. Workhouse Lists of Inmates
5. Register of Apprentices
6. Register of Births
7. Register of Deaths
8. Vestry Rate Books
9. Admission and Discharge Registers
10. Board of Guardians' Records

Records at The Family History Library

To determine records availability for each union, search the FamilySearch Catalog under the name of the county, Denbighshire, and then under the name of the Poor Law Union, e.g. Wrexham; then search under the term[s] "poorlaw" or "poorhouses".

On-line Transcriptions Relating to Poor Law Records

1) For more information on the history of the workhouse, see Peter Higginbotham's Workhouses web site.

2) Also a Genuki website.

See also

• Poorhouses, Poor Laws, etc.

Websites

• Workhouses (National Library)
• St. Asaph Workshouse (National Library)