Caton Gilbert, Lancashire Poor Law Union

History
On 3rd June, 1822, Caton and seven other parishes and townships signed an agreement to form a Gilbert Union. The union was enlarged by the addition of a further 13 parishes on 4th May 1829. The union erected a workhouse to the south-east of Caton. There were also poorhouses at Caton Green, to the east of Caton. Because of its Gilbert Union status, Caton was exempted from most of the provisions of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act. In 1856, its membership comprised the parishes of

Bolton le Sands, Lancashire, Borwick, Caton with Littledale, Lancashire, Claughton, Lancashire, Farleton,  Gressingham, Lancashire,  Halton, Lancashire,  Heysham, Lancashire,  Hornby, Lancashire, Nether Kellet;  Poulton, Lancashire, Over Kellet, Lancashire, Quernmore, Lancashire,

Slyne-with-Hest,Lancashire, Tatham Fells, Lancashire Tatham, Lancashire, Wennington, and Wray, Lancashire.

The Poulton district included Bare and Torrisholme (subsequently to become known as Morecambe) See Morecombe parish pages for these districts and parish creations.

Despite criticisms by the Poor Law Commissioners the Union survived until all Gilbert Unions were abolished in 1869 and a new Lunesdale Poor Law Union incorporated the Caton Parishes.

Records
• Lancashire Record Office, Bow Lane, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 2RE. Very few local records survive. • Vestry minutes and churchwardens' accounts PR2895/5 1828-1847 With agreement for erecting workhouse for Claughton, Caton, Wrag-with-botton, Over Kellet, Gressingham, Wennington, Poulton, Bare and Torrisholme, Quernmore, Borwick, Roeburndale, Hornby, Bolton-le-Sands and Nether Kellet 6 May 1829 Workhouse Accounts PR869 1830 - 1841

Websites
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?Caton/Caton.shtml