Genealogy Chat

I have found my GGGgrandfather Aged 83 on the 1901 census in a Union Workhouse. I have googled but cannot work out, is it a place for someone homeless or an inmate? Thanks for any replies Sue

Sue Union workhouses were set up under the 1834 poor law. The "union" was between 2 or more parishes, who shared the workhouse between them. It was where people were sent if they were unemployed and lacked any financial support. Often there was an infirmary (hospital) attached. I believe people could go there daily for a soup kitchen handout of food, but poor elderly folk often died there and it was also where illegitimate babies were born if their fathers didn't support the mother [think of Oliver Twist]. nell

Hi The workhouse was part of the poor law act 1834, those who were poor were sent to the workhouse. conditions were very harsh. the idea was to stop begging, and lazy people, it was beleived it would encourage people to help themselves. sadly that is what they thought back then. Those who entered the workhouse were called inmates. If you google "worhouse" you should be able to find out lots of info on the subject. Julie

You may even find the one your ancestor was in. Hitchin's Union workhouse is now a hospital for elderly folk. nell

Thanks Nell Some of them were inmates but it did not say anything next to my ancestor. Poor thing!! I wonder why his family did not help him? Poor aswell I suppose. He had quite a few children. Sue

Hi Susan Here's a useful link: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/

Thankyou Julie and David I will certainly delve further. Very interested now!!! For a moment I thought we had a criminal in our family and I was wondering what he had done. Lol Sue

Poor chap has only committed the crime of being elderly and not having a stakeholder pension plan! nell

Back then, did they not help their elderly relatives? He had about six children at least!! Sue

It depends where they lived. some towns were more relaxed than others. some gave out charity, and in some cases the Workhouse wasn't to bad. Most families will have someone who had to go to the workhouse at some point. Unfortunally most people were poor due to large family, poor wages, and bad housing conditions. Were about did your relative live?. Ive been studing this at college. I might have some info on that area. julie

Hi Julie He lived in Bradfield, Berkshire. On the 1891 he lived with his daughter and her family. They also lived in Bradfield in 1901 and they only had three children. Maybe he got too old for them to look after him!! Thanks again. Sue

sorry susan just noticed his age, he was more likely there because of ill health. I don't think he would be there to work. Hospitials at that time where run by charity or attached to the workhouse. health care was not proivded by the government until the 1911 national insurance act, and that only covered the male worker and none of his family members. I will look though and see if i can find any info on the workhouse for that area Julie

Thanks Julie for your help!! I'm off too bed now but will look in tomorrow. Sue

Hi susan Have a look at www.users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/bradfield/ This is a site for Brafield workhouse & poor law union. It give a history of the place. Theres also an address for the records office. Also if you google in Bradfield workhouse there are a few sites to look at. goodluck with your search Hope it helps Julie

Hi Susan To finish up in the Workhouse was the most awful thing that could happen to anyone, so much so, that this attitude persists almost to this day amongst elderly people.My Grandmother lived in absolute terror of finishing up in the Workhouse, and refused to go into an Old People's Home which had been built in the grounds of a former Workhouse. The regime was truly dreadful - in order to discourage anyone from entering just because they were too lazy to work. Families were separated, Men to one wing, women to another, - so that there would be "no extra mouths to feed". I recently read that no woman ever became pregnant INSIDE the Workhouse, unless she caught the eye of the Workhouse Master! Men often ran away from the Workhouse, and what had once been a stable family perhaps temporarily fallen on hard times, became a deserted mother and her children, unlikely to ever be economically independant again. On entering the Workhouse, every single possession was taken away and they had to wear a coarse uniform with a large P on it. If they ran away from the Workhouse all Hell was let loose because they had stolen a Uniform! The Infirmary was a basic Ward for those too ill to work ( you were never too old to work) They received basic nursing care and food, little else, although the situation did improve towards the end of the 1890s when a Doctor was in regular attendance. If you were in the Infirmary, you were there to die, certainly in the early days of the Workhouse. The good old days? Don't think so. Marjorie

Hi Julie Took a look at the website you recommended. Very interesting, even my husband took a look!! And I did manage to find info on Bradfield Workhouse. Not quite sure yet but I think he may have died there the following year. Poor man!! Hi Marjorie Thanks for your reply. I've been very ignorant, I think, as I was unaware of what a workhouse was. I had heard of them but until now took little interest. Thats what I like about Genealogy. You never know what you will find. Sue

Another good site is www.institutions.*org.*uk this covers most goverment institutions, including work houses

Hi Sue I have learnt more about Social History in the five years Ive been doing this, than in all my schooldays and adult years put together! Good hunting Marjorie

Another site.... http://www(.)workhouses(.)org(.)uk/ i just had a look and Bradfield is there. Sue

Does anyone know about the Union Workhouse in Whitchurch Shropshire please