Warwick Union Workhouse

[aston34]

Hello,   

I'm very interested in the above workhouse -   

my Gt Gt Grandmother was in there in the 1891 census with her 3 mth old daughter 

Mary Ann Blackwell (nee Thompson) 
Ann Elizabeth  (or Elizabeth)  (3 months old)

they are both still there in the 1901 census.

Im particularly interested as to why they were admitted  (her husband and 4 other children were still living in Leamington and he went onto meet another partner and have another 2 children) I personally question the 3 mth old childs father.   
Also i'm intersted in medical records,  and  when did they leave the workhouse (if they did?)

I have ordered the childs birth certificate,  and am currently awaiting to hear from warwick record office with what information they hold so i can pay for a research service to be done.

I was kindly directed to this site by another so if anybody  could perhaps help me with any information/look ups it would be greatly appreciated.    Ive read P Higginsbotham wonderful site on Warwick im just after more,  i seem to have an obsession with this particular workhouse!! 

I apologise if this should of been posted in another area,  ive been having problems with the search facility and it keeps coming up error.

Kind Regards

Aston34  

[Trees]

Hi Val Welcome to Roots chat

The fact that the husband and previous children are on the 1891 census does look like an indiscretion with a second person. Unless the wife was quite ill , the work house infirmary was about the only "hospital " available to ordinary folk, (My Gt Gran died in one but was never officially an inmate of the workhouse)
Can you post the reference of the censuses you have found the various people on it may help us to untangle some of the mystery
It is amazing that these institutions did not always keep their records it is rather hit and miss what can be found
I too am interested in this Workhouse and wonder if anyone can look at its minutes books held in Warwick RO for any mention of Mary Ann Blackwell and Ann Elizabeth about 1900 next time they are in the vicinity (We know the Office will be closed until next week though)
many thanks
Trees

[Lemontree]

Have you seen that this woman is also in the workhouse in 1901 and so is her daughter - although it is Elizabeth Blackwell by this time - to stay in the workhouse for so long a time looks like she has been deserted by her husband?

Is she there in 1911?

As you say the parentage of the baby may have been in question and why the husband left the wife and child to spend 10 + years in the workhouse.

[aston34]

thank you for the replies !

a-ha,   well i got the birth certificate back,  and as i suspected there is no father mentioned on the birth certificate so i can only assume that Mary Ann was unfaithful to her hubby. 

Elizabeth Ann Blackwell  born at  31 crompton street  st mary  U.D   
yet mother  M A Blackwell  it says reesidence is Union Workhouse, Warwick.       is crompton street the same as the workhouse residence,    or did she leave the workhouse to give birth?  im abit confused by the 2 locations


the reference for the 1891 census is  RG12/2469  mother and child together


1901 census -  RG13/2929   (Elizabeth Blackwell - the child)

I cant locate my sheet for Mary Ann Blackwell 1901   but i know that Mary Ann Thompson was still an inmate on the 1911 census occupation  Parlour Maid.

I hope this info helps.

Thanks ever so much

Aston 

[Lemontree]

No Crompton Street is the other side of Warwick, the street is still there today.

The workhouse is on the site of Warwick Hospital and in what is now lakin Road - also on the map if you use google map.

The butts was where a nursing type home was located for having babies...

Mary Ann Blackwell on the census had no occupation - strange she should change her name and get an occupation ater all those years?!

[aston34]

"No Crompton Street is the other side of Warwick, the street is still there today.

The workhouse is on the site of Warwick Hospital and in what is now lakin Road - also on the map if you use google map.

The butts was where a nursing type home was located for having babies...

Mary Ann Blackwell on the census had no occupation - strange she should change her name and get an occupation ater all those years?!"

The Butts?   is that what was located at 31 Crompton Street then?  Am i right in assuming Mary Ann would of left the workhouse to give birth there,  and then both mother and child returned to workhouse afterwards.?

She never changed her name?    shes mary ann blackwell  or mary blackwell on 1891/1901/1911 census.    her daughters name changes however from Annie Elizabeth Blackwell to Elizabeth Blackwell.

im going to have to contact the records office see if her name crops up at all in their records.

thanks

Aston34  :-)

[Lemontree]

No The Butts is not the same as crompton street - if you google and use the map facility and input warwick you will get a map up (put in the fourpenny shop to locate crompton street) - crompton street is near the stratford road - where as the butts is nearer the town center.

The butts is near the police staion

Have you researched the possability of a relative took her in and the relative lived in crompton street? You would normally stay in the workhouse to have the baby, no expense was going to be given for having a baby

[aston34]

thanks lemon tree,   

Oh ive thought of alsorts of possibilities, believe me        its great getting inside knowledge of areas  though from forums like this.   some people just know so much its such a great help.


i think ill have to spend some money and see if the records office can find any records of either of them in their minutes that they hold.   

Thanks

Aston 

[DJLandW]

I am particularly interested in what happened to minors in the Warwick Union Workhouse. My GG grandfather appears to have entered the workhouse with his two younger sisters and a brother on the death of both his parents. Interestingly, an older brother seems to have made his way in the world and eventually joins the civil service and marries quite well. Meanwhile the younger two children die in the workhouse. Elijah and his sister Jane are both inmates in the 1851 census. They appear to be literate and well educated. Somewhere between 1851 and his marriage to Eliza Edwards in 1858 in Australia he has emigrated on the Tancred in 1853. Is it likely that he would have organised this himself or did the Workhouses play a role in arraning emigration for orphans. He would have been about 19 at this stage. He subsequently becomes a teacher in Australian schools by 1860. Quite a feat - from Union workhouse to long career as a teacher. His sister Jane, who stayed behind in England, also became a teacher. Can anybody tell me what happened to children who became of age in the workhouse. Were they encouraged to go out and find work?