Hi Maria,
This is not the direct answer you are seeking. How, insofar as Scotland is concerned, certain definitions surfaced in application of the Poor Law. Scotland's old poor law system operated with much unevenness depending on the resources and needs of each parish. Institution provision first occurred in 1733 with the opening of Glasgow's Towns House, intended as a work house to provide employment for vagrants, beggars, etc., who could work but didn't. This concept was quickly given up and by the 1740s. the Towns House was catering for the 'ordinary' poor rather than the 'able-bodied' poor. Varying definitions were applied to the two categories, but basically the 'able-bodied' poor might be unemployed, unable to gain employment and destitute but were considered undeserving of assistance, either within the institution or in the form of out relief because they were 'fit' to work. The 'ordinary' poor were those considered unable to support themselves and this included those with a disability, the aged and infirm, widows and abandoned mothers with young children, etc.
There is not a 'British' legal system as such and the system was overhauled in Scotland with the passing of the Poor Law (Scotland) Act in 1845. Separate legislation had already been passed in England and Wales, the the Poor Law Amendment Act in 1834, and there were differences. From 1845, parishes in Scotland had to keep General Registers of the Poor and these followed a set format in the information which required to be recorded. The recording itself could vary considerably. A column for recording disability (although the word 'disability' was not in vogue) might have, for example, and these are actual entries: 'Partially disabled. Injury to her hands,' 'Partially disabled, Deaf and Weak in Body,' 'Wholly disabled. Insanity. Wholly destitute,' 'Partial blindness and weakness in legs'. Often there were no entries in this column but entries might also include 'single with illegitmate infant,' 'deserted with young child,' etc. The purpose was to highlight conditions where people could not be self-supporting (as opposed to being unable to get work) and were therefore eligible for relief. 'Disabled' had a very broad meaning.
As an aside, Blind Institutions provided training and employment for visually impaired people and in their literature (annual reports, etc.) they were at pains to present their 'inmates' and outworkers as not being disabled or potential candidates for poor relief. They were however quite selective and declined to accept blind people who could not sustain an acceptable productive output, or did not conform in other mores such as godliness or temperance.
Hope this is of some help.
Iain
----- Original Message -----
From: Maria B
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 09 February 2002 01:47
Subject: info please
Hi everyone
I wonder if someone can help me ? A while back, I was reading something on history of disability .
I came across, a reference about a legislation that specifically made reference to work and people with disability, something to the effect that people with disability could not should not work.
This law was British in around the same time as the English poor law. Unfortunately I didn't take down the sources, as it was not my objective at the time
Does anyone on this list know any resources that might help?
Thank you
Maria
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