Opposition to the Poor law Commission

FROM THE NORTH:

• workhouse, factory and millworkers were all faced with lay offs and short hours and they all needed relief to cover for this
• anti-poor law associates were uniting with tories like John Fielden
• the South Lancashire Anti Poor Law Association set up 38 committees who aimed to stop the new poor law being implemented
• armed riots took place in Oldham, Rochdale, Huddersfield and Bradford
• in Bradford, 1838, assisstant commissioner Alfred Power was threatened by the mob and pelted with stones & tinned cans
• in Stockport 1842, workhouses were attacked and bread was handed out to the poor outside
• John Fielden was a radical MP who shut down his factories in protest and refused to pay the new poor rate
• his workers attacked the houses of local guardians
• it took troops to suppress the outrage and restore order (in Todmorden)
• opposition was short lived
• even in areas that were organised, it eventually fell apart

OPPOSITION BASED ON RUMOURS:

• in Devon…