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In the large cities of Georgian England, rich and poor were brought face to face with each other. The affluent bourgeoisie – mainly merchants and traders – were able to make immense amounts of money in just one generation. But they could not ignore the behaviour of the masses, whose impoverished lives often drove them to crime, drunkenness, prostitution, fights and, at times, riots.
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This behaviour was seen as a direct threat by those who owned property. However, some of them also felt guilty about the stark contrast between their comfortable lives and the desperation of those who had nothing. According to historian Roy Porter, 'New wealth needed to be consecrated by goodness.'
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The only safety net for the poor at that time was the 'poor law', based on the Act of Settlement and Removal 1662. This handed the local parish responsibility for all poor people who had lived within its boundaries for at least 40 days. Every person was deemed to belong to – that is, have a 'settlement' in – one specific parish. If they were destitute because they were sick or disabled or because there was no work, they could receive financial support ('relief') only in that parish. The support was funded by the 'poor rate', a tax levied on local people who did have money.
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