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BFHS Publications - Poor Law Records

This shows all our Poor Law Records volumes currently for sale.

The Hawick Heritage Hub has digitised many Poor Law records from the period 1845-1933.
These records are about applications for poor relief made by people who were settled in a Borders parish, but not necessarily living there, and provide unique and interesting information about the applicants, their families and their life.

The records are from 27 parishes in the 4 Scottish Borders counties of Berwickshire, Peeblesshire, Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire:
Bowden, Broughton, Drumelzier, Eckford, Eddleston, Eyemouth, Glenholm, Hounam, Kilbucho, Jedburgh, Kelso, Lilliesleaf, Linton, Makerstoun, Manor, Maxton, Morebattle, Oxnam, Peebles, Skirling, Smailholm, St Boswells, Stichill, Stobo, Traquair, Tweedsmuir, Yetholm.
In addition, the Hobkirk parish Minute Book is also being transcribed and indexed.

Similarly, they'll also be of interest to people whose ancestors were not born in the Borders but may have lived or died in the Borders.

Each volume contains

Brief history of the parish
Comprehensive history of the Poor Law and its operation
Notes from Poor Law Magazines
List of Borders Inspectors of the Poor
List of Borders Parochial Board Chairmen
Duties of Inspectors of the Poor
Workhouse Reform 1868
Short bibliography
Index to the Poor Law Records
Images of the Poor Law Records
Surname Index

and sometimes other information.

Details included in the Index to the Poor Law Records comprise forenames and surnames, place of birth, date of birth or age, date of application or date admitted to the the Poor Roll, residential address - sometimes just the village or town, description of disablement, date of death, and there's more information on the images.The images are of handwritten records, and some of the inspectors had very poor handwriting. We hope that we have transcribed names, places, and words correctly, nevertheless, it is possible that mistakes have been made, or that there are differences of opinion identifying names and words.

See details of many people between the censuses.
See married women's maiden surnames.
Sometimes the birthplace stated in the census is wrong, and at last, here's an alternative to searching the rest of Scotland.
Family details often not shown in the census, religion, and disabilities.
Find people who moved away from their birth place.

Most of all, you get the chance to put some flesh on the bones of those who up till now have just been names and dates.
We have an interactive map showing the residential locations of poor relief applicants and recipients. There's more information and a link to the interactive map on our introductory blog about the Visualising Urban Geography Launch Event.

Examples of Index and Records.

Although it's not in this series, there's also Kelso Poor Law and Ragged School Records which is both very useful and interesting.

Search the Poor Law Records Index

Please send your orders to: Sales Convenor, Borders Family History Society, 52 Overhaugh St, Galashiels, TD1 1DP, Scotland.
Please read our Terms of Sale for Publications, and Terms of Sale for Poor Law Records CDs before sending your order.
At the moment we don't have an online shopping facility. You may send your order by email, at your own risk, we do not recommend it, though no problems have been reported to us; or contact our Sales Convenor, Ronald, using our Contact Form - Order for Publications for further information.

Please note: Postage must be paid on the total weight of the order.
See our Sales List for postage costs and methods of payment.

Volume	County	Price (£)	Weight (g)	Notes	No of People
Jedburgh Parish (1852-1874)	Roxburghshire	12.00	70	Contains a discussion of the historical context of Jedburgh parish, English and Scottish Poor Law history, how it worked, using the Poor Law records, duties of inspectors of the poor, 17 Jedburgh Poor Law cases visited on 20th January 1844, Jedburgh Poorhouse Accounts for 1885, Workhouse Reform 1868, a plan of the town and environs of Jedburgh by John Wood in 1823, and the index to the Poor Law Records images contained on the CD, illustrations in the text, and digital images of the records transcribed, most of which have additional information.	Over 1000
Jedburgh Parish (1875-1893)	Roxburghshire	12.00	70	Contains a discussion of the historical context of Jedburgh parish, English and Scottish Poor Law history, how it worked, using the Poor Law records, duties of inspectors of the poor, 17 Jedburgh Poor Law cases visited on 20th January 1844, Jedburgh Poorhouse Accounts for 1885, Workhouse Reform 1868, a plan of the town and environs of Jedburgh by John Wood in 1823, and the index to the Poor Law Records images contained on the CD, illustrations in the text, and digital images of the records transcribed, most of which have additional information.	895
Melrose Parish (1871-1874)	Roxburghshire	12.00	70	Contains a discussion of the historical context of Melrose parish, English and Scottish Poor Law history, how it worked, using the Poor Law records, Dingleton asylum, duties of inspectors of the poor, a map of Melrose parish and a railway map, and the index to the Poor Law Records images (dates of application between 1871 and 1874) contained on the CD, illustrations in the text, and digital images of the records transcribed, most of which have additional information. Covers over 760 named people.	Over 760
Melrose Parish (1875-1883)	Roxburghshire	12.00	70	Contains a discussion of the historical context of Melrose parish, English and Scottish Poor Law history, how it worked, using the Poor Law records, Dingleton asylum, duties of inspectors of the poor, a map of Melrose parish and a railway map, and the index to the Poor Law Records images (dates admitted between 1875 and 1883) contained on the CD, illustrations in the text, and digital images of the records transcribed, most of which have additional information. Covers over 820 named people.	Over 820
Melrose Parish (1884-1930)	Roxburghshire	12.00	70	Contains a discussion of the historical context of Melrose parish, English and Scottish Poor Law history, how it worked, using the Poor Law records, Dingleton asylum, duties of inspectors of the poor, legal cases, maps showing Melrose parish before and after the boundary changes of 1889 and a railway map, and the index to the Poor Law Records images (dates of application between 1884 and 1930) contained on the CD, illustrations in the text, and digital images of the records transcribed, most of which have additional information. Covers over 760 named people.	Over 760

Forms of Payment
Payment methods are shown in our Sales List.

Examples of Index and Records
There's a lot of variability in the records that have been digitised depending on the date, local Parochial Board requirements, different ways of working, and changes in working practices.

Part of the index to Jedburgh Register of Poor.jpg,

Image 28.jpg from the Jedburgh Parish Register of poor persons admitted on the roll (1854-1864).

Left hand side of image 28.jpg from the Jedburgh Parish Register of poor persons admitted on the roll (1854-1864).

Right hand side of image 28.jpg from the Jedburgh Parish Register of poor persons admitted on the roll (1854-1864).

Right hand side of image 24.jpg from the Jedburgh General Register of Poor (1852-1893).

Digital images of the Poor Law records and paper records can also be viewed at the
Hawick Heritage Hub.

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