Poor relief in Eastern Sussex: 1800-1860

Mary studied poor relief for ten years, first for her MA and then her PhD which she obtained in 2022.   Her study focussed on eastern Sussex, including Uckfield, and in particular the intra-regional variations in levels of poverty in agricultural communities in parishes within the Weald, in Lewes and on the Downs.   Her talk considers the impact of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act on the poor and on the relief officials.   One commentator described the legislations as, 'a measure of extreme harshness and cruelty'.

Most of us will have agricultural labourers in our family trees during the period of Mary's study so it should be a most informative evening.