The Metropolitan Houseless Poor Act 1864 (27 & 28 Vict. c. 116) was a short-term piece of legislation that imposed a legal obligation on Poor Law unions in London to provide temporary accommodation for "destitute wayfarers, wanderers, and foundlings".[2] The Metropolitan Board of Works was given limited authority to reimburse the unions for the cost of building the necessary casual wards, an arrangement that was made permanent the following year by the passage of the Metropolitan Houseless Poor Act 1865 (28 & 29 Vict. c. 34).[3]

Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
Metropolitan Houseless Poor Act 1864[1]
Act of Parliament
Thumb
Long titleAn Act to make Provision for distributing the Charge of Relief of certain Classes of poor Persons over the whole of the Metropolis.
Citation27 & 28 Vict. c. 116
Dates
Royal assent29 July 1864
Other legislation
Repealed byMetropolitan Houseless Poor Act 1865
Status: Repealed
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Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
Metropolitan Houseless Poor Act 1865
Act of Parliament
Thumb
Long titleAn Act to make the Metropolitan Houseless Poor Act perpetual.
Citation28 & 29 Vict. c. 34
Dates
Royal assent2 June 1865
Other legislation
AmendsMetropolitan Houseless Poor Act 1864
Amended byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
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Most provincial Poor Law unions followed London's example, and by the 1870s, of the 643 then in existence, 572 had established casual wards for the reception of vagrants.[4]

References

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