8 - “Immediate Death or a Life of Torture Are the Consequences of the System”: The Bridgwater Union Scandal and Policy Change

Summary

That the Poor Law Amendment Act (1834) was a controversial piece of legislation is a historical given. Through the creation of union workhouses, it removed the long-held rights of the poor to obtain outdoor relief, and through the establishment of a centralized welfare authority the Poor Law Commission weakened the powers of local parish officers and magistrates in the administration of relief. The transition from Old to New Poor Law was not a smooth one, and even “compliant” localities faced a number a problems with the new system—especially so in relation to medical relief. In the early years of the operation of the Bridgwater Union, established in 1836, several medical claimants had either died or suffered long-term ailments in consequence of delayed medical treatment. This chapter examines how this one event escalated into a “scandal,” how those who witnessed the scandal influenced policy development, and the repercussions of new medical policies on relief claimants and administrators alike. It is influenced by an understanding of the “policy process,” a concept developed in the social sciences to understand policy. Also known as the “policy life-cycle,” the concept analyzes policy at a series of stages: the identification of a problem, policy making, policy implementation, policy evaluation, and the further development or creation of new policies. This chapter offers a new perspective on the role of welfare scandals in poor law studies, locating them at the center of New Poor Law policy development.