Social Conditions

Boarding out of children

By the end of the nineteenth century, there was a move away from keeping children in the workhouse. It was not seen as a suitable environment in which to raise a child. Efforts were made to foster them with families, known as boarding out. This could be a lucrative source of income to families who took in workhouse children as the boarding out account shows:

Boarding out account
Powys County Archives

On 19th March it was agreed by the Llanfyllin Board of Guardians that Lewis Edwards should be boarded out:

Boarded out: Llanfyllin Board of Guardians
Powys County Archives

"Boarded out children  On the recommendation of Miss A M Hayhurst it was resolved to board Lewis Edwards aged nine, with Mr Edward Jones, Carpenter, of Gelli Bach Llansaintffraid, provided if the usual terms be accepted."

Edward Jones lived with his wife and nephew at census time, so Lewis had not yet been sent to live with him. His move was finally ratified by the Board on 16th April, and Miss Hayhurst agreed to supervise him.

1891 Census
Gelli Fach, Llansanffraid
Name Position in
household 		Marital status Age Occupation Place of Birth English/Welsh
speaker
Edward Jones Head M 58 Carpenter Montgomery, Llansanffraid. Both
Mary Jones Wife M 58   Montgomery, Llansanffraid. Both
Walter Griffiths Nephew S 20 Agricultural labourer Montgomery, Llansanffraid. Both

It seems that the Board did endeavour to find good homes for the children and continued their responsibilities towards them even when they were over the age of 14 and able to work. This is shown by the following extract from the minutes from 14th May where the children were too ill to begin work.

Boarded out children
Powys County Archives

"Boarded out children
 On the recommendation of Mrs Price it was agreed to continue the weekly payments for another month in the case of David Owen he being unwell, and to continue the weekly payments for another year in the case of Elizabeth Richards she being deformed and weakly."

John Tudor was sent to board with his grandfather in his home parish of Guilsfield on 14th May and was sent out with the usual suit of clothes: "It was decided to board out John Tudor with his grandfather Wm. Owen of Cloddia Guilsfield and the necessary outfit was ordered to be provided for him."

John Tudor is shown in the workhouse census for 1891. However there is also a Charles Tudor who was his brother, although no mention was made of his boarding out. If this was the case, it must have been very difficult for the brothers to have been separated from each other.

1891 Census: Workhouse, Llanfyllin
Name Position in
household 		Marital status Age Occupation Place of Birth English/Welsh
speaker
John Tudor Inmate   7 Scholar Montgomery, Guilsfield. English
Charles Tudor Inmate   5 Scholar Montgomery, Guilsfield. English

There was one other Tudor living in Guilsfield at the time of the census.

29 New House (Moely garth), Guilsfield
Name Position in
household 		Marital status Age Occupation Place of Birth English/Welsh
speaker
William Williams Head M 28 Agricultural labourer Montgomeryshire Llanfair Both
Elizabeth Williams Wife M 29   Montgomeryshire Guilsfield Both
Elizabeth Tudor Nurse child   3   Montgomeryshire Guilsfield English

This was John and Charles' little sister, as shown in the parish baptism registers:

July 6th 1884 John son of William and Elizabeth Tudor of Stonehouse Garth
March 7th 1886 Thomas Charles
Nov 28th 1887 Elizabeth

There is not a William Owen at Cloddia in Guilsfield on the census, but the Board may not have had his correct Christian name:

29 Cloddia Cottage, Guilsfield
Name Position in
household 		Marital status Age Occupation Place of Birth English/Welsh
speaker
Edward Owen Head Widr 79 Shoemaker Montgomeryshire Welshpool English
Llanfyllin Board of Guardians