RootsChat.Com
Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Antrim => Topic started by: Leon47 on Monday 12 May 25 09:50 BST (UK)
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I've read a little about Workhouses, so I do know that "their original intention was to provide support to the poorest members of society."
However, I've found a Birth Registration showing an ancestor who's place of birth is stated as "Workhouse" but I know from other records that her family was definitely not poor or destitute. Their address is clearly stated, as is that of the 'person present' and this address features prominently in other records I've found. In fact, many of the birth registrations on the page I found say 'Workhouse' even though addresses are also given for parents.
So perhaps, by 1902, a Workhouse had become somewhere it was good for a mother to give birth?
I do believe that the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast (shown as 51 Lisburn Road in some Registrations) was originally a Workhouse.
Any thoughts?
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I do believe that the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast (shown as 51 Lisburn Road in some Registrations) was originally a Workhouse.
The Belfast City Hospital was originally the Workhouse.
https://www.workhouses.org.uk/Belfast/
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Thanks.
That article is good but doesn't describe the gradual change, that I believe occurred, between it being a place to treat the poor and destitute to it becoming more of a hospital and place where mothers choose to go to have their children.
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History of Belfast City Hospital-
https://www.ums.ac.uk/inst/hbch_dc.pdf
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Is this what you are looking for? At one time the parishioners weekly monetary offerings were used to assist those who had hit on hard times.
The 1929 Local Government Act abolished the Poor Law system and mandated that local authorities take over and manage public hospitals, out-relief, and the operation of the Poor Law. The act also allowed local authorities to use workhouses as public assistance institutions and district hospitals. While some authorities did convert workhouse infirmaries into municipal hospitals, it was not a widespread practice outside of London. The Act effectively marked the end of workhouses and the beginning of a new era for local healthcare, with local authorities taking on the responsibilities previously held by Poor Law Guardians
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Thank you.
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The 1929 Local Government Act abolished the Poor Law system
in England and Wales.
N.I Board of Guardian Records run later than that up to 1948 and the creation of the NHS.
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Your-family-tree-series-information-leaflet-13-poor-law-records.pdf
All Workhouses had an infirmary and that was the only public facility for births to married or unmarried mothers, otherwise it was home birth assisted by licensed or previously unlicensed midwife/relative/neighbour, a private maternity clinic paid for by the parents, or a charitable institution.
Single mothers didn't so much as choose to go to the Workhouse to have their children, it was for many their only option. For married mothers the few nurses there had some training and there was a degree of hygene.
The Midwives Act (Ireland) was not passed until 1918. It controlled the training and registration of midwives. It also forbade unregistered midwives to practice and outlawed the use of ‘handy-women’.
Midwifery 1806 – 2006 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1891762/
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Thanks for that additional information.
I've also now found records of deaths at 'Workhouse', so presumably that was the place for healthcare near the end of life too.
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Quite a long while ago there was a TV item about surgery. The surgeons started using rubber gloves in the 19th century and used a pair more than once not realising that germs/virus had got into the tiny cracks that develolped. So that was one reason why patients including some expectant mothers died. There is a huge difference between the thick rubber of the olden days and the extremely pliable stretchy plastic gloves manufactured this century.
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Ther address PRONI Poor Law Records leaflet seems to have changed from above so instead here is the prior page with their link to the pdf https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/publications/poor-law-records
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Interesting. Thanks.
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PRONI's Poor Law Records pdf.
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-05/Your-family-tree-series-information-leaflet-13-poor-law-records.pdf
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A helpful document.
Is there any advice for persons planning a visit to examine the admission & discharge books. I'm trying to find the identity of a married lady who had either 3 or 4 kids in the Belfast Workhouse 1886 to 1898.
Is there a need to order doc's in advance or to flag what you want to see?
Is there a charge? Can 2 people work together examining different records...?
Any advise at all really - I don't want to make the trip & be told I should have done X.
Alternatively, are there local researchers who would take on a search for a fee?