The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 believed to be destroying natural maidenly modesty .
`` The effect has been to promote bastardy ; to make want of chastity on the woman 's part the shortest road to obtaining either a husband or a competent maintenance ; and to encourage extortion and perjury '' 'Mr Cowell 's report ' quoted in ( J W Cowell was one of the Assistant Commissioners of the Royal Commission )
Poor Law Amendment Act 1834