Official Records
Parochial Boards (1845-1894)
Parish Councils (1894-1929)
Parochial Boards and Parochial Councils were responsible for the provision of poor relief, cemetery administration, and civil registration. Parish records were inherited by the County Council and survive for most parishes in Ayrshire.
The records consist of board minutes, registers of applications for relief, inspectors' letter books and accounts (1845-1929). There are also a number of records relating to Cunninghame Combination Poorhouse (1854-1930), Maybole Combination Poorhouse (1865-1910) and the Kyle Union Poorhouse (1860-1977) and include registers of inmates, minutes, letter books, plans and accounts.
Many of the records give details of applicants’ health, financial and family difficulties and are a rich source for family and social historians.