Wolstanton and Burslem Union Workhouse

[Gozza53]

It's been suggested by another member here that I send a message to the Staffordshire Board regarding a research project I have just started.

The project is Wolstanton and Burslem Union Workhouse, and is really the second phase. The first phase focused on the buildings and development phases from the initial building in 1839, subsequent extensions and additions, through to it becoming Turnhurst Road Institution between 1930 and 1948, and its final life as Westcliffe Hospital in 2007. The original workhouse was in fact demolished to make way for the Claybourne Residential home in the 1990's.

The current part of the project is focusing on the people who passed through the workhouse, i.e. paupers/inmates, vagrants/tramps, and staff. I am using names of those recorded as having 'passed through' to look backwards and forwards in their lives to tell a factually-based account of social and economic conditions, how they came to be at the workhouse and how they fared during their stay and afterwards.

The purpose of this message, prompted as a I say by another member, is to firstly raise awareness and secondly to ask anyone who has any existing research or information to get in touch with me. I have no ancestors personally who were at the workhouse but having completed my earlier phase, now see this as a labour of love. I want to do this, and especially the people involved, justice so would welcome anyone's input and advice. I don't want to 're-invent the wheel' so if other's want to share their research with me (and me with them) I'll be very grateful and pleased to do so.

Apologies for this lengthy introduction to your Board and thanks for reading this.

[mishcat]

hi,
i have 2 family members who were inmates  at wolstanton and tunstall workhouse on the 1881 census,what  info do you need?

[nanny jan]

Hi,

Are you aware of this site?     

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Wolstanton/



Nanny Jan

[mishcat]

thanks for the link, have found gggrandmother and gg aunt
joyce,

[millymcb]

Have you seen this site too?  They have some old documents about the workhouses.

http://www.staffspasttrack.org.uk/

Milly

[Gozza53]

Thanks for getting back to me, although I was only notified of one of these replies.

Firstly, I am aware of and have seen the workhouses and pasttrack web sites which were both useful when I was researching the development phases of the buildings.

'Mischat' I don't know who your ancestors are but I have re-transcribed all of the census records for the workhouse from 1841 through to 1901 so far. Anything you wish to share with me would be appreciated and I'll do likewise.

I'm dividing the 'inmates/paupers' into a series of groups: Individuals aged 16+ on their own; Single parent families; Single Child up to 15 on their own; Children up to 15 from the same family (siblings) on their own; Both parents with at least one dependent child; etc.

I'm then researching forwards and backwards within each of these groups to trace how/why these people arrived at the workhouse and what happened to them afterwards.

In doing so I've already come across some research that others have done on their family trees which is incorrect! In addition quite a lot of those from the workhouse left the area and set up home in other parts of the UK (mainly Yorkshire and Lancashire) and others left for a new life in the US. So this is proving to be an interesting project. Thanks for your interest and any help you can offer.

[mishcat]

Hi Gozza 53,
i have a Charlotte bratt aged66, widow,born Etruria Stoke on trent, on the 1881 census Wolstanton workhouse, but i dont know why she was there or if she died in there,as her family were living in Burslem, Bratt was her second husbands name, as her first ,husband , Ephraim Dawson died sometime in the 1850s, and she married Lewis Bratt, I have them on 1861 census,
hope this is ok,
Mishcat

[NEL]

Hi my GG Grandmother Martha Wootton died in the workhouse infirmary in Dec. 1916 aged 74 years, sadly her Grandaugher Millicent Wootton died the same month, same year, I think from scalds, she was around 3 years old. Both from Tunstall/ Goldendale, possibly latebrook. Millie's Father was William and he was away serving with The Welch Fusilliers and he was martha's son, Nel

[scottish quine]

Hello Gozza.   I believe my great grandfather died in the workhouse in 1899.   Not sure which one.   If you can find him I can tell you something of his life and how I think he got there.   His name was Henry Cope born around 1840 Brieryhurst.    At the time of his death his home address was Hardings Wood Kidsgrove.   I don't have the death certificate but was told by registrar, no mention of family on it.   Age at death 57ish.    Any other information just ask, will help if possible.   Good luck with the project.     Jeanette