The Maintenance of Deserted Wives and Children 1837 (Act no. 8Wm. IV No.9) with the full title ‘An Act to provide for the Maintenance of deserted Wives and Children’ was enacted on 18 August 1837. This piece of legislation set out guidelines for the indenture of ‘abandoned’ children between 13 and 21 years of age as apprentices, warrants for Fathers who have deserted their children and or wives, as well as the power of Justices to order Men to pay a certain amount from their income or sale of their possessions to support their wife and any children. This legislation was repealed in 1863 by The Deserted Wives and Children Maintenance Act 1863 (Act no. 27 Vict. No.14).