A powerful portrait of the lives of paupers in the Peak District from the 17th-19th centuries, as revealed through historical ‘parish chest’ and workhouse records 

Discover the fascinating lives of paupers of the Peak District's past, as we lift the lid on the old church ‘parish chest’ and reveal a wealth of under-used ‘settlement and removal’ records, created following the ‘Old Poor Law’ Act of 1601. We also look at surviving workhouse records, created by the ‘New Poor Law’ of 1834, which led to establishment of the dreaded ‘Union Workhouse’ system. 

We show how examining such sources can give a powerful sense of the past lives and hardships of some of the poorest people in society, as they struggled to eke out an existence in a remote and inhospitable landscape, and whose voices ordinarily would not survive from their time. 

Ticket includes a hot drink & scone, jam and cream

Ticket price: £15 per person plus booking fee. 
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