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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Sussex => Topic started by: lynnthompson on Monday 11 May 09 15:51 BST (UK)
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A relative of mine died in the Union Workhouse in Battle in 1854. Could someone please advise if the Workhouse is still there, where are the records kept and would it show if his family were with him.
His name was George Goodsell born in 1775 and died in September 1854. I have tried workhouses.org but have not as yet found anything concrete. I do know that it was quite small about 10 or so people but hope someone can help.
Lynn
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Lynn
I think so, is this the place:
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?Battle/Battle.shtml
David
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It gives the link to East Sussex records office which apparently holds the 1835-1930 Guardians Minutes, so it may be worth contacting them about those records
Barbara :)
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Lynn
On the link I gave there is the 1881 census which has:
James GOODSELL W 87 M Patient Labourer Speldhurst, Kent
A relative perhaps
David
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Not sure there are so many Goodsells in Sussex get a bit confused by them all but thank you.
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Hi Lynn
Old Battle Workhouse has been turned into Flats very nicely done too.
Jim
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I thought the old workhouse building was beautiul, would have loved the house myself!!!!!!!!!!!
Lynn..... Thanks for that.
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Many years ago I did a demographic study of the Battle Workhouse as a university project.
It was built in 1840 in Mr Knight's stone quarry, so presumably that is where most of the materials came from. The most unusual thing about it however, was that it appeared to be unlike other institutions of the time and actually cared for the destitute inmates. It was not as small as you imagine though (you may have inadvertantly confused it with the Battle House of Correction) for a high percentage of the labouring population lived there during the four winter months (450-500 Winter 1841) and between 30-80 people the whole year. The famine of 1847 also saw a further rise in the number of inmates (338). There were 211 inmates there in 1851 but this dropped to 115 by the time of the 1851 census. The lowest occupancy was during havesting months when only those totally incapable of work received parish relief.
Roy G
(Dont forget to also look at the Ashburnham Papers at ESRO when you do any background research.)
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Roy How rude of me. I thought I had replied but having just changed over to a new computer decided to trawl through and make sure I was up to date with everything. Please forgive me.
I love your information on the workhouse, you actually brought it to life. How very sad for the people in there. I seem to have had about 7 relatives in there at one time or another and sad to say that most of them died there.
I have as yet to go to Battle ( I always seem to run out of time by the time I have gone to Lewes and then onto Hastings) and try and get some current pictures, if it is still standing. I cannot believe they would have destroyed such a beautiful building.
Regards
Lynn
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Yes its still standing.
Several years ago, I was in touch with a lady that now has one of the flats over the gatehouse who offered to buy a copy of my report on Battle Workhouse and I threw in all the notes and photocopies I had collected over the years. I think that even though they resulted in a geographical rather than a historical project, she was fairly pleased with her purchase, for no one had written much about the early years of Battle workhouse before.
Roy G
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Wow don't tell me you didn't make a copy!!!!!!
She must have been thrilled as she actually lived there. I hope to go down to Battle again very shortly and shall make a point of looking out the workhouse.
Once again sorry for not replying to you sooner.
Regards
Lynn
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There are a couple of photographs of the old workhouse/hospital here:-
http://www.geograph.org.uk/browse.php?p=103621
It is now known as Frederick Thatcher Place after the chap who designed it.
John
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thank you so much for sending the link. It just makes the family tree come alive when you see the places that your relatives died in. Some of mine actually worked in them but a sad place nonetheless. Social housing of the 1800's.
Regards
Lynn
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Hi Lynn
I'm related to this George Goodsell, too. He was my 5x gt grandfather.
Sadly, his grandson William also died in the Union Workhouse in Battle, in 1912.
Thank you everyone for the information you've posted - I've only recently discovered details of the deaths of these two men and it's very interesting to see the details of the place where they both died. I'm glad to know that it may not have been as grim as I'd imagined, too.
Anna
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The workhouse site today, taken October 2010
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another one of the workhouse today - October 2010