* Essential guide to the history of poverty and the poor for the family historian * Insight into pauperism from medieval times to the present day * Meticulous account of the charities and welfare organizations involved * Full details of poverty records, where they are located and how they can be used Many family historians will come across direct links to ancestors who were affected by poverty. Yet despite the burgeoning interest in genealogy, the history of pauperism and of poor relief has rarely been written about, and no previous book has provided a guide to documents and records that family researchers can use to their trace their pauper ancestors. In this accessible and informative introduction, Robert Burlison gives a vivid account of poverty and the poor. He identifies relevant records, indicates where they can be found, and offers essential advice on how this information can be used to piece together the lives of distant and not so distant relatives. AUTHOR: Robert Burlison has had a long career working for charities and offering support to the socially disadvantaged. He has an extensive knowledge of charity organizations and the history of poor relief, and he has published widely on the subjects, especially in Ancestors Magazine. His most recent articles have focused on the history of almshouses, Dr Thomas Barnardo, the Charity Commission, ragged schools, reformatories, industrial schools, and child migration to Canada and Australia. Robert Burlison is married ILLUSTRATIONS: 50 illustrations
