ABSTRACT
An indication of the pattern of poor relief in Glasgow is obtained from an examination of the relevant statistics (number of inmates, number of out-pensioners, receipts and expenditure). The Scottish poor law before 1845 established as the administrators of the poor relief in burghs the magistrates and town councils. Many burghs, including Glasgow, delegated responsibility to other organisations. A major characteristic of poor relief administration in Glasgow in the post-1845 period was the ever-increasing lack of the local uniqueness. The Scotland-wide policies of the board of supervision created a greater degree of uniformity within the operation of the Scottish poor law. While the lot of the legal poor did not improve, the situation of the able-bodied unemployed was made unbearable. This category was allowed some assistance from the public funds before the 1860s; thereafter, they were denied the public relief.
