Genealogy Chat

Hi Why would an aunt Clara Cass be born in the workhouse in Ripon in 1910. Her mother would appear to be a resident. The father was Austen Cass a porter at the local hotel. Probably a live injob for him. He would however have some earnings however small and there were plenty of cheap houses to rent locally. Austen and Ethel had only been married 18months ( we have the certificate). Clara's birth was registered by 'The Occupier of the workhouse when she was 2days old. Another mystery unless it enabled him to claim extra money for this child. Have I got this wrong and would part of the workhouse be a hospital? If so it was unusual for babies to be born in hospital in 1910 Puzzled Margaret

Yes, by 1910, Workhouses were used as 'Laying-In' hospitals, for women who (usually) had complications of pregnancy, or who were ill (perhaps TB etc) during their pregnancy. Her husband would have had to have paid a few pence for this facility, if the Workhouse Master could find him! It was still a cheaper option than having the Doctor in at home. OC

I've got a few relatives born in the workhouse. As OC says, they were also hospitals and many NHS hospitals started off as workhouse infirmaries. Perhaps the mother had a difficult childbirth, which might explain why she was there and also why she didn't register the birth herself. Maybe her husband was away? nell

My elder daughter was born in the Luton Workhouse. Mind you, by then it was the maternity and geriatric departments of Luton and Dunstable Hospital (what an interesting combination). By the time my second-born was due they'd built a new maternity unit at the main hospital. Th old workhouse featured on one of the first series of BBC4 WDYTYA spin-offs (as did the area of Park Town which was demolished soon after we moved to Luton to make way for tower blocks). J

Where I live the hospital was once 'The Union', is that the equivalent of a Workhouse?

Yes - Union Workhouse was the correct title, the Union bit meaning it was a workhouse formed at the time of the Workhouse Union Act in the early 1800s. This Act replaced Poor Law Relief, which was administered mostly by the Churches, with a national system of relief. Whether this was a step forward or backwards is still to be decided. I was born in Crumpsall Workhouse, which by the time of my birth was acting as a Maternity hospital. OC

Thanks OC, I had wondered about that. It obviously had 'not so nice' memories because they changed the name of the road that it's in from 'Union Road' to 'Coombe Valley Road' about 35 years ago, sounds much posher doesn't it?

Sue The spectre of the Workhouse was a long and terrible one for most people. Near where I live in Cornwall, they turned the old workhouse into nice flats for the elderly. The memory of the Workhouse was so strong in people's minds that there was no take up at all and eventually they turned it into posh and expensive executive flats. Another Workhouse locally - which hasnt been used as a Workhouse for at least 80 years, is still referred to by elderly locals as The Workhouse. OC

www.workhouses.org.uk is very interesting about life in work houses and the history of workhouses and the Poor Law Unions It also has some census records of inmates ( I think only for the year 188) Joan

Sorry, the year should be 1881 ! Joan

Just the other day I found one of my families in a workhouse. They were 80 years old :( It made me so sad. Out of curiosity, who would have filled in the census at a work house? both their ages were off by 3 years. I thought perhaps the owner did it and guessed ages. Coincedently they both died before the next census.... I've images in my mind of them being worked to death!

Joan, thanks for that link, awesome site! I found the Brighton one where my ancestors were in 1881. And I found out my old High school used to be a workhouse as well as the hospital I used to go to in the neighbouring town. The things you learn!

I lived opposite the hospital (ex workhouse) for over 20 years until I married OC and never had any idea of its history, I suppose when you're young you just accept things as they are. If only those walls coud talk. Sue

Merry - some more data for your computer programme..... OC was born in Crumpsall Workhouse.

Philip, It was quite common for elderley people to go to the workhouse. They often had no option as they had no means of income to support themselves. although families did look after their parents sometimes such large families just could not do it. Also there was the added bonus of at least some sort of health care. Each workhouse had a Master & a Matron who generally ran the workhouse with a strict rules to adhere to. Some were a little kinder to the older folk & gave them light duties to 'earn their keep'. Your ancestors age would have been logged when he entered the workhouse but many simply did not know the exact date, so an estimate would be as close as they got. Here in Norfolk we have Gressenhall, which was a workhouse, is now a museum. It really is a great place to visit for an insight to how it was! If you google there is a lot of info available about workhouses.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to answere my query. We were quite upset to think of Aunt Clare in the workhouse and couldnt understand why if her father was in work and living near. We will now try to find when she entered and when she left the place Kind regards Margaret

I wish to make it a matter of public record that I am NOT married to Dover Sue LOL OC