Dalston Civil Parish

2,590  (2011 Census)

2,643  (2001 Census)

Historical

Dalston Parish  (St. Michael)

Composed of:

Buckabank Township

Cumdivock Township

Dalston Township

Hawksdale Township

Raughton with Gaitsgill Township

Highhead Chapelry

Ancient parishes refer to the parishes before the split between ecclesiastical (church) and civil parishes in the 19th century. They had a parish church and often were composed of multiple townships and chapelries. In many cases, townships and parishes were originally based on the territory of manors from the feudal system during medieval times. Civil parishes were created following the Poor Law Amendment Act 1866, in which Church of England parishes, extra-parochial areas, townships and chapelries, became "civil parishes" which could set their own poor rate (tax). Then the reforms of Local Government Act 1894 established elected civil parish councils (or parish meetings for parishes with less than 300 residents) and created urban and rural districts. Boundaries of parishes and civil parishes may have changed over time.

East (ward)

Carlisle Poor Law Union, formed in 1838 (replacing an earlier Union).

The main Carlisle Union Workhouse was located on Fusehill Street in Carlisle, built in 1863. St Cuthbert's workhouse at Harraby Hill was used to accomodate children. 

Under the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 parishes were grouped into Unions, each of which had to build a workhouse if they did not already have one. It ended the old system of locally provided poor relief which had come under strain as numbers out of work grew, following increasing mechanisation of agriculture and the economic downturn after the Napoleonic Wars, along with changing social attitudes. The workhouse provided those unable to support themselves financially with accommodation and work. Inmates were generally segregated into men, women, boys and girls. 

The workhouse system was abolished by the Local Government Act 1929, but many workhouses lived on as ‘Public Assistance Institutions’ until the National Assistance Act 1948.

Cumberland, until 1974, then:

Cumbria, which was created on the 1st of April 1974, following the Local Government Act 1972. The new county absorbed Cumberland and Westmorland, and added some parts of Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire.

District Council:

Carlisle Rural District (1894 - 1934)

Border Rural District (1934 - 1974). Created in 1934, this combined the old rural districts of Longtown, Brampton, Carlisle, and a part of Penrith Rural District. 

City of Carlisle (1974 - )  Created by the Local Government Act 1972.