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Genealogy Section

Poor Relief Records

Prior to 1845 poor relief was in the hands of the ecclesiastical authorities. Kirk Session minutes record grants of money and the names of recipients. In the burghs provision was made often by private gift and by the County Council but often the names of the recipients are not recorded.

The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1845 removed provision of relief from the church and established Parochial Boards, still using the parish as an administrative unit  for the administering of relief. Their records may include lists of those on relief ( usually containing details of applicant's residence, birth-place, dependents, age, and sometimes medical details), Minutes of the Board and Inspectors' reports.

The Parochial Boards were also empowered by the Act to levy assessments for the maintenance of the poor which were recorded in assessment rolls, the forerunners of valuation rolls.

The Parochial Boards also took over responsibility for other functions, such as supervision of burial grounds.

The Parochial Boards were replaced by the Parish Councils in 1894.

Online Poor Relief Records for Ayrshire

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Some Extracts 

Transcribed from the records

Kilwinning Poor Relief

Stevenston Poor Relief

The Poor Applications Index of Ardrossan 1859-1900

Published by East Ayrshire Family History Society 

Is also available to view on microfiche at Ardrossan Library and the Baird Institute and the Dick Institute

Kilmarnock General Register of the Poor 1847-1900

Published by East Ayrshire Family History Society 

Is also available to view on microfiche at the Baird Institute and the Dick Institute

New Cumnock Poor Relief Registers 1855-1900

Dreghorn Poor Relief Applications 1872-1891

Kilbirnie Poor Relief Applications 1859-1900

Troon@Ayrshire Family History Society currently working on these

Ayrshire Archives

The following are the main records held by Ayrshire Archives  Please note that some records are subject to a statutory closure period.

These records have recently been microfilmed by the LDS Church and are available at Family History Centres  and North Ayrshire Library, (see this webpage) the Dick and Baird Institutes.

Records held at the Local History Library Saltcoats

Jill McColl the local historian for North Ayrshire based at North Ayrshire Archive Centre, Manse Street, Saltcoats now has the following poor relief films. 

Archives Microfilms

Film Number

1936789

1936790 

Contents 

1)                Ardrossan Poor Applications & claims                      May 1916 to Apr 1921 + index

2)                Ardrossan Poor Applications & claims                      Apr 1921 to March 1922 + index

3)                Ardrossan Poor Applications & claims                      Nov 1921 to Nov 1925 + index

4)            Beith General Register of Poor                                   Aug 1845 to Feb 1864 + index

5)            Beith General Register of Poor                                   Jan 1865 to Jan 1868 + index

6)            Beith General Register of Poor                                   Jan 1868 to Apr 1878 + index 

1936791 

Contents 

1)            Beith General Register of Poor                                   Nov 1877 to Jan 1896 + Index

2)            Beith General Register of Poor                                   Jan 1896 to May 1907 + index

3)            Beith General Register of Poor                                   July 1907 to Dec 1925 + index

4)            Beith Children’s Poor Register                                   Feb 1855 to Apr 1888 + index 

1936792 

Contents 

1)            Beith Children’s Poor Register                                   Apr 1888 to July 1911 + index

2)            Beith Record of Poor Applications                                          Feb 1868 to Jan 1871 + index

3)            Beith Record of Poor Applications                                          Nov 1880 to Aug 1888 + index 

1936793 

Contents 

1)            Beith Record of Poor Applications                                          Aug 1888 to Dec 1888 + index

2)            Beith Record of Poor Applications                                          Dec 1888 to Jan 1896 + index

3)            Beith Record of Poor Applications                                          Jan 1896 to Jun 1902 + index 

1936794 

Contents 

1)            Beith Record of Poor Applications                                          June 1902 to Feb 1906 + index

2)            Beith Record of Poor Applications                                          Feb 1906 to Oct 1908 + index

3)            Dailly General Register of Poor                                   Apr 1855 to Aug 1876 + index

4)            Dailly Record of Poor Applications                                          June 1855 to Dec 1868 + index 

1936795 

Contents 

1)            Dailly Record of Poor Applications                                          May 1969 to Nov 1890

2)            Dailly Record of Poor Applications                                          Dec 1890 to Feb 1903 + index

3)            Dailly Cemetery Register of Interments                         Feb 1876 to June 1914 + index

4)            Dalry Record of Poor Applications                                          Apr 1886 to Dec 1925 + index

5)            Dalry Parochial Burying Ground Register of Burials                Nov 1866 to May 1882 

2170788 

Contents 

1)            Dalry Par. Burying Ground Register of Burials                1882 to 1895

2)            Dalry Par. Burying Ground Register of Burials                1895 to 1925

3)            Dreghorn Record of Poor Applications                          March 1872 to Sept 1885 + index 

2170789 

Contents 

1)                Dreghorn Record of Poor Applications                          Nov 1885 to Dec 1901 + index

2)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief                                                      March 1922 to July 1922 

2170791 

Contents 

1)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   May 1857 to March 1858

2)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   March 1858 to Jan 1860

3)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   July 1863 to Nov 1863

4)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   April 1864 to Oct 1864

5)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   Oct 1864 to March 1865

6)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   March 1865 to Sept 1865

7)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   Sept 1865 to March 1866

8)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   Oct 1866 to Dec 1867

9)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   Dec 1867 to Dec 1868

10)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   Dec 1868 to Aug 1869

11)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   Aug 1869 to March 1870

12)                Kilmarnock Poor Relief Statement Books                   March 1870 to Dec 1870

13)               A list of poor Relief claims made by other

Parishes against Kilmarnock                                          1863 to 1871

14)                Kilmarnock General Register of Poor                    1858 to July 1863 + index 

2170792 

Contents 

1)                Kilmarnock General Register of Poor                    July 1863 to December 1870

2)                Kilmarnock General Register of Poor                    Aug 1871 to March 1881 + index 

2170793 

Contents 

1)                Kilmarnock General Register of Poor                    Jan 1881 to Oct 1891 + index

2)                Kilmarnock General Register of Poor                    Sept 1909 to July 1915 + index 

2170811 

Contents 

1)            Kilmarnock General Register of Poor                       July 1915 to May 1922

2)             Kilmarnock General Register of Poor                      Feb 1922 to Dec 1925 + index

3)            Index to Kilmarnockj General Register of Poor       1871

4)             Kilmarnock Payroll of other Parish Poor                 1916 to 1924

5)              Kilmarnock Parish Payroll of Poor                         1919 to 1925

6)              Kilmarnock Record of Poor Applications                 Aug 1897 to Oct 1897 

2170812 

Contents 

1)                Kilmarnock Record of Poor Applications                 Oct 1897 to Dec 1897

2)                Kilmarnock Record of Poor Applications                 May 1923 to Sept 1923 + index

3)                Kilmarnock Record of Poor Applications                 Aug Sept 1923 to Jan 1924 + index 

217813 

Contents 

1)                Kilwinning General Register of Poor                    Nov 1839 to Jan 1878 + index

2)                Kilwinning General Register of Poor                    Feb 1913 to Dec 1925 + index

3)                Kilwinning Record of Poor Applications                          July 1855 to Aug 1860 + Index 

2170814 

Contents 

1)                Kilwinning Record of Poor Applications                          July 1860 to July 1861

2)                Kilwinning Record of Poor Applications                          Aug 1861 to Nov 1866 + index

3)                Kilwinning Record of Poor Applications                          Nov 1891 to May 1894 + index 

2170815 

Contents 

1)                Kilwinning Record of Poor Applications                          May 1894 to March 1897

2)                Kilwinning Record of Poor Applications                          Jan 1900 to Apr 1902 + index

3)                Kilwinning Record of Poor Applications                          Feb 1923 to May 1924 + index 

2170845 

Contents 

1)                Kilwinning Record of Poor Applications                          May 1924 to Apr 1925

2)                Kilwinning Poor Relief Index                                      1839 to 1925?

3)                Kilwinning Parochial Board Report Book                       July 1859 to Mar 1883 + index

4)                Kirkmichael General Register of Poor                    July 1847 to Feb 1890 + index

5)                Kirkmichael Register of Poor Persons                         Feb 1847 to Aug 1863 

2170847 

Contents 

1)                   Kirkmichael Register of sales and burials

In Crosshill Cemetery                                                                May 1896 to March 1923

2)                Kirkoswald General Register of Poor                    1839 to March 1852

3)                Kirkoswald General Register of Poor                    1845 to June 1864

4)                Kirkoswald General Register of Poor                    1845 to Dec 1895 + index

5)                Kirkoswald Record of Poor Applications                          May 1855 to Dec 1865

6)                Kirkoswald Record of Poor Applications                          June 1865 to June 1907 

2170848 

Contents 

1)            Largs General Register of Poor                                   Oct 1924 to Dec 1925

2)                Kirkoswald Record of Poor Applications                          April 1907 to April 1915 + index

3)                Kirkoswald General Register of Poor                    March 1896 to 1925 + index

4)                Kirkoswald Record of Poor Applications                          July 1915 to April 1924 + index

5)                Kirkoswald Record of Poor Applications                          June 1924 to Dec 1925 + index

6)            Largs General Register of Poor                                   Feb 1875 to Jan 1922 + index

7)            Largs General Register of Poor                                   Jan 1922 to 1925 + index

8)            Largs Record of Poor Applications                                          July 1905 to Nov 1911 + index

9)            Largs Record of Poor Applications                                          July 1920 to Sept 1924 + index 

2170849 

Contents 

1)                Stevenston General Register of Poor                                   1856? To Dec 1872 + index

2)                Stevenston General Register of Poor                                   Jan 1873 to May 1886 + index

3)                Stevenston General Register of Poor                                   May 1886 to July 1905 + index

4)                Stevenston General Register of Poor                                   July 1905 to Feb 1908 + index 

2170877 

Contents 

1)                Stevenston General Register of Poor                                   Feb 1908 to March 1921

2)                Stevenston General Register of Poor                                   March 1921 to March 1925 + index

3)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          Aug 1859 to Jan 1866 + index 

2170878 

Contents 

1)                 Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          March 1866 to June 1868 + index

2)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          May 1874 to Jan 1880 + index 

2170879 

Contents 

1)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          Jan 1880 to June 1880

2)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          June 1880 to June 1887 + index

3)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          June 1887 to Sept 1888 + index 

2170885 

Contents 

1)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          Sept 1888 to Oct 1891

2)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          Nov 1891 to May 1896 + index

3)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          May 1896 to Feb 1899 + index 

2170886 

Contents 

1)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          Feb 1899 to July 1904

2)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          Aug 1904 to June 1910 + index

3)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          July 1910 to May 1915 + index 

2170887 

Contents 

1)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          May 1915 to Sept 1921 + index

2)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          Sept 1921 to Jan 1922 + index

3)                 Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          Jan 1922 to Aug 1924 + index 

2170905 

Contents 

1)                Stevenston Record of Poor Applications                          Aug 1924 to Dec 1925 + index

2)                Stevenston Cases of Settlement                                              Aug 1859 to Nov 1891

3)                Stevenston Children’s Poor Register                                   Nov 1856 to April 1888 + index

4)                Stevenston Children’s Poor Register                                   Nov 1893 to Jan 1908 + index

5)            Straiton Record of Poor Applications                          May 1902 to 1929

6)            Straiton General Register of Poor                                   Oct 1921 to Nov 1925

7)            West Kilbride Record of Poor Applications                                 1857 to Jan 1861

8)            West Kilbride Record of Poor Applications                 May 1923 to Dec 1925 + index

9)            Dailly Register of payroll of outdoor relief                   1852 to 1855

10)          Dailly Register of payroll of outdoor relief                   1855 to 1863

11)          Dailly Register of payroll of outdoor relief                   1863 to 1867 

2186042 

Contents 

1)            Irvine Record of Poor Applications                                          Sept 1827 to May 1930

2)            Irvine Poor Assessment Roll                                         1846 (alphabetical)

3)            Irvine Poor Assessment Roll                                         1846 to 1847 (alphabetical)

4)            Irvine Poor Assessment Roll                                         1847 (alphabetical)

5)            Irvine Poor Assessment Roll                                         1849 to 1850 (alphabetical) 

2186043 

Contents 

1)            Irvine Poor Assessment Roll                                         1850 (alphabetical)

2)            Irvine Poor Assessment Roll                                         1851-2 (alphabetical)

3)            Kilbirnie General Register of Poor                                   1856 to Oct 1883 + index

4)            Kilbirnie General Register of Poor                                   Nov 1883 to Oct 1890 + index

2186044 

Contents 

1)            Kilbirnie General Register of Poor                                                Oct 1890 to Sept 1903

2)            Kilbirnie Record of Poor Applicants                                              May 1859 to June 1862 + index

3)            Kilbirnie Record of Poor Applicants                                              June 1862 to May 1866 + index

Please do not ask for a lookup if your parish is not mentioned above. There is a lot of information included in the Poor Relief Records, not only of the applicant but also of their partner, siblings and parents, occupations, addresses, illnesses etc etc.

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