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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Yorkshire (West Riding) => England => Yorkshire (West Riding) Lookup Requests => Topic started by: irjames on Friday 09 July 10 07:15 BST (UK)
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A couple of my tree branches lead back to the Huddersfield Union, Golcar in the 1841 census. Does anyone know how many people were at this address in 1841, and whether the two branches are likely to have known each other. Where exactly was that building, and is it still standing today.
Ian
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Hi
There are quite a few sites on Union workhouses, this one mentions Golcar
http://www.institutions.org.uk/workhouses/england/yorks/Yorkshire.htm
Rosie
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I don't know where the Golcar Union was but I have seen the 1850 inspection of the Workhouse. here is the details and they describe an unpleasant place.
Golcar Workhouse:- The workhouse accommodation is for 22 inmates and it consists of two old cottages and as one yard and no separation of male from female inmates can be possible, the children sleep in rooms occupied by adult paupers and in more then one instance children and adults occupied the same beds. A sick old man, at the time of the inspector's last visit, was lying in bed in the only men's day room; and a sick woman, and a weak-minded woman, of dirty habits, had their beds in the only women's day room ,which is also the washhouse. There are two children at this workhouse, a boy and a girl, who do not go to any school, according to the master's statement, but she receives the in instruction in the workhouse.
The visiting committee appear to visit the workhouse about once in six weeks, but they omit to answer the questions in the visitor's book at their visits.
The maximum number of inmates which the house is calculated to hold has been exceeded several times during the last six months.
The medical officer does not examine paupers on their admission to the workhouse according to article 91. That officer had not made any entry in his book between the 2 and 18 April, and the book is not regularly laid before the guardians at their ordinary meetings.
The inmates wear their own cloths, a pauper workhouse dress is not provided. Inmates are allowed to smoke in the rooms of the workhouse without special direction of medical officer.
There is no chaplain to the workhouse, and Devin Service is not performed agreeably to article 124; and such inmates as go to church do not do so under the control and inspection of the master or other officer of the workhouse. Prayers are not read before breakfast and after supper everyday, according to article 124.
It appears that the master has exceeded his authority in withholding the supper of an inmate, Betty Hoyles, as a punishment. He does not submit to guardians at their ordinary meetings a report of the numbers of inmates in the form prescribed by article 208 No 35.
There is a deficiency of bed-linen; and matron stated that she had not a sufficient supply of sheets to enable her to put two on every bed. on five of the beds in the men's sleeping room there were sacks laid on or under the counterpane to increase the covering. There were also on several of the beds, articles of old clothing used for the same purpose. The bed of Ann Taylor, one of the beds in the women's day room, was in a very dirty wet state. The boy already referred to sleeps with one od the old men.
The workhouse generally was in a dirty and disorderly condition. The master keeps fowl, which go in and out of the house, and occasion a great deal of unnecessary dirt. A hen's nest was in a cupboard, under a dresser, in the dining-room, which is also partly used as kitchen, and as the master and matron's sitting-room. The yard was dirty and in a disorderly state from cows having been turned into it.