London Poor Law/Registration County

Created: 1851   Abolished: 1930

Statistics

Population

Population

Densities and rates of growth. Age structure: concentrations of young people, and of the old.
Industry

Industry

How people made their living: identifying farming communities, pit villages, mill towns and so on.
Life & Death

Life & Death

Numbers of babies born. Deaths, especially infant deaths. Causes of death by age and gender.
Work & Poverty

Work & Poverty

Unemployment rates and poor relief. What proportions of men and of women did paid work?
Housing

Housing

Numbers of houses. Overcrowding: persons per room. Amenities: central heating, baths and WCs.
Birthplace & Religion

Birthplace & Religion

Numbers going to church, and the kinds of churches they went to. The different religions of modern Britain.
Place marker map of Great Britain and Ireland

Notes

London, or "the Metropolis", meaning an aggregate of Registration Districts much larger than the City of London, was identified in census reports from 1851 onwards. The first report of the Poor Law Board to similarly identify London was that of the 1st of July 1857.

We know of no alternate names.

This unit contained the following units:

Name Type Start End Authority
BERMONDSEY RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1870 1851 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
BETHNAL GREEN RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
CAMBERWELL RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
CHARTERHOUSE ElizPLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   26 Mar 1877 Statement of the Names of the Several Unions and Poor Law Parishes of England and Wales; and of the Population, Area, and Rateable Value thereof in 1881 (180)
CHELSEA RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
CITY OF LONDON RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 1850   F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 643.
CITY OF WESTMINSTER RegD/PLPar/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
CLERKENWELL PLPar/RegD Poor Law Union/Reg. District     1851 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
EAST LONDON RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 1850   F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 643.
FULHAM RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
FULHAM PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
GRAYS INN ElizPLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1881 Local Government Board, Poor Law Returns to Parliament from 1871 onwards (HMSO)
GREENWICH RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
HACKNEY RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
HAMMERSMITH PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 643.
HAMPSTEAD RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
HOLBORN RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
INNER TEMPLE ElizPLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1881 Statement of the Names of the Several Unions and Poor Law Parishes of England and Wales; and of the Population, Area, and Rateable Value thereof in 1881 (96)
ISLINGTON RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
KENSINGTON RegD/PLU/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
KENSINGTON RegD Poor Law Union/Reg. District     1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
LAMBETH RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
LEWISHAM RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
LIMEHOUSE PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 1921 01 Apr 1925 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 306.
LINCOLNS INN ElizPLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1883 Local Government Board, Poor Law Returns to Parliament from 1871 onwards (HMSO)
MIDDLE TEMPLE ElizPLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1881 Statement of the Names of the Several Unions and Poor Law Parishes of England and Wales; and of the Population, Area, and Rateable Value thereof in 1881 (96)
MILE END OLD TOWN RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
NEWINGTON ST MARY RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1869 1851 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
PADDINGTON RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
POPLAR RegD/PLU/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
ROTHERHITHE RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1869 1851 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
SHOREDITCH RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
SOUTHWARK RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
SOUTHWARK ST GEORGE THE MARTYR RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1869 1851 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
STEPNEY RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
STEPNEY PLU/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
ST GEORGE IN THE EAST RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
ST GEORGES PLPar/RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District     1851 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
ST GILES IN THE FIELDS AND ST GEORGE BLOOMSBURY RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
ST JAMES RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1868 1851 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
ST LUKE RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1869 1851 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
ST MARGARET AND ST JOHN RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1870 1851 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District   1868 1851 Census of Great Britain, Table [1], 'Population Abstract'.
ST MARYLEBONE RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
ST OLAVE RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
ST PANCRAS RegD/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
STRAND RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
WANDSWORTH PLU/RegD Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
WEST LONDON PLU/RegD Poor Law Union/Reg. District 1850   F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 643.
WESTMINSTER RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
WHITECHAPEL RegD/PLU/PLPar Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
WOOLWICH RegD/PLU Poor Law Union/Reg. District 01 Apr 1857   1881 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Area, Houses, and Population of Civil Parishes in the several Registration Sub-Districts in 1871 and 1881'.
FULHAM Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1855 1899 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 650.
GREENWICH Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
HACKNEY Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1894 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
HOLBORN Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
LEE Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
LEWISHAM Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
LIMEHOUSE Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
PLUMSTEAD Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
POPLAR Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
ST GILES Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
ST OLAVE Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 644.
STRAND Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 645.
ST SAVIOURS Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 645.
WANDSWORTH Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 645.
WESTMINSTER Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 645.
WHITECHAPEL Lon_SDist Sanitary District 1889 1900 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 645.

This unit was associated with the following other units:

Nature of association Other unit involved Type of unit Authority
was succeeded by LONDON Administrative County F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 643.
was preceded by LONDON Ancient County F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 643.

This unit was part of the following units:

Name Type Start End Authority
ENGLAND Dep Country 1851 1930 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 297.
LONDON Poor Law/Registration Division     1911 Census of England and Wales, Table 2, 'Registration divisions and Counties - Area, and population at each successive Census'.

We know of no boundary changes affecting this unit.

Boundary Map of London Poor Law/Registration County

If the boundaries of the Poor Law/Registration County changed over time, this map will show all the different boundaries.

Maps Census reports

How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, London (Poor Law/Registration County) through time, A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10166512

Date accessed: 09th December 2025