Greenwich union workhouse early 1900's ideas please

[kathhale]

Thanks Nick,
did not know that people did that.
kath

[Nick29]

Unless you had money and could pay for a doctor and hospital treatment, workhouses were the only other place to be treated, if you were sick.  My g.g. grandfather died in the workhouse (Greenwich Union Workhouse) as a patient with TB in 1866 - his family paid the workhouse for him to be there.

[soltaran]

... and assuming that the workhouse we're talking about in the one at 48 Vanbrugh Hill, Greenwich, it was also an infirmary.  My wife's grandfather was born there in 1916 ... his mother apparently using *her* mother's maiden name.

[Nick29]

Yes, that's the one.   The site later became St Alfege's hospital, which was demolished to make way for the Greenwich District Hospital (now also demolished).   My father died in the Greenwich District Hospital in 1983, completely oblivious to the fact that his g. grandfather had died within 150 yards of the spot, 117 years earlier.

[kathhale]

Thank you so much everyone,
I had completely forgotten that Workhouses were also hospitals.
I will google Greenwich workhouse and see what information comes up

Thanks for everyones input,really appreciated
Kath   

[soltaran]

http://users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/Greenwich/Greenwich.shtml

[kathhale]

Thank you ! 

Really informative site .
kath

[Nick29]

Incidentally, I have been inside those buildings - I was treated in St Alfege's Hospital as a child in the early 1950's - this would have been only 5 to 10 years or so after it became an NHS hospital, and it was a dismal place.

[kathhale]

I think one hears such dismal stories about the workhouses it is difficult for me to understand my my ancestor,ADOLPHUS HALE b1859,kept going back.
He had ten children and brothers and sisters who from the 1911 census were not destitute why did he choose to use the workhouse for regular visits rather than his family
Over fifty times in four years ,between 1910 and 1914,seems excessive to me,why did he not just stay there ?
For at least the first year his wife was living else were,108 Grove street,just dawned on me as I typed the address the workhouse was at Grove Park,so Grove street was perhaps close by. Blackhorse road is also given once as an address.

kath