Poor Law Receipt

The Poor Law was a tax on property levied in each parish to provide poor relief. According to the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1866, parishes could set their own rate to be collected by a Poor Law Guardian. In this case, Alfred Burleigh who was paid 7/3d by Mr L Cann? of Little Chesterford on the 15th March 1879. On 16th November 1878 his rateable value was assessed at £7.5.0 at 1/- in the pound. Today this tax has been absorbed into our Council Tax.