| Description | Following the Poor Law Amendment Act in 1834 Boards of Guardians were appointed to administer groups of parishes in poor law unions, and were empowered to build workhouses. Various additional duties were added over time (such as vaccination from 1840, rate assessment from 1862).
In 1930 workhouses were renamed Public Assistance Institutions and were removed from Guardians' control to be placed under the control of County Councils; further records can be found in County Council Public Assistance Committee minutes.
Surviving records of Cambridge Union include: minutes and committee minutes; letter books; financial records; registers of births, deaths and inmates; creed registers; records about lunacy, property, boarding out, vaccination and settlement and removal.
Cambridge Board of Guardians covered all parishes within the City of Cambridge. |