GRO indexes on gro.gov.uk !

[ctrunfree]

Here's another example.  In this case I know he was a resident of the Workhouse for a few months before his death.

[Girl Guide]

Wiki shows this as an explanation of Poor Law Unions.  I've just put the first bit on here as it goes on to explain in more detail.

"A poor law union was a geographical territory, and early local government unit, in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Poor law unions existed in England and Wales from 1834 to 1930 for the administration of poor relief. Prior to the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 the administration of the English Poor Laws was the responsibility of the vestries of individual parishes, which varied widely in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements. From 1834 the parishes were grouped into unions, jointly responsible for the administration of poor relief in their areas and each governed by a board of guardians. A parish large enough to operate independently of a union was known as a poor law parish. Collectively, poor law unions and poor law parishes were known as poor law districts. The grouping of the parishes into unions caused larger centralised workhouses to be built to replace smaller facilities in each parish. Poor law unions were later used as a basis for the delivery of registration from 1837, and sanitation outside urban areas from 1875. Poor law unions were abolished by the Local Government Act 1929, which transferred responsibility for public assistance to county and county borough councils."

So as Andrew suggested maybe need to think of it differently.

[iolaus]

I know one of my ancestors died in Clutton Union Workhouse  (they very kindly have put all the deaths online between 1838 and 1927  http://www.highlittletonhistory.org.uk/transcriptions0905/CluttonUnionWorkhouseDeaths1838-1927&Indx.pdf )

When I checked his death on this index following this thread it doesn't say Union after the place
CAVILL, JOSEPH       91     
GRO Reference: 1893  D Quarter in CLUTTON  Volume 05C  Page 414

[Andrew Tarr]

Here's another example.  In this case I know he was a resident of the Workhouse for a few months before his death.

I have two copies of birth certs for ancestors of mine, one headed Bosmere and Claydon Union (Suffolk, 1844), the other Shepton Mallet Union (Somerset, 1842).  Both of them state that the births occurred in the small villages where the families lived.  The 4 births in the Somerset family were labelled Union until 1844; all later births (1846-1860) weren't.  I don't think this means that the Ag.Labs could suddenly afford to stay at home; I reckon it was a change in the bureaucratic system at that time.

[lanercost]

BURNS, ANN        -      Order
GRO Reference: 1838  D Quarter in THE PRESTON UNION  Volume 21  Page 567

BURNS   Ann   ARMSTRONG   Preston   Preston   PRES/5/68

BURNS, JOHN        -        Order
GRO Reference: 1840  M Quarter in THE PRESTON UNION  Volume 21  Page 643

BURNS   John   ARMSTRONG   Preston   Preston   PRES/10/56

The GRO shows Preston Union and gives a dash on the mother's maiden name although LancashireBMD confirms the mother's maiden name as Armstrong. I had assumed this was to do with the Union thing but they weren't in a workhouse or anything.

[ctrunfree]

That's interesting...here's another of mine, although again its before the time (1846) when this practice seems to have stopped.  The mother was unmarried, but I have no info to suggest she had any prior association with the Workhouse.

[hol]

Hello
My rellies are on 1851 census Huddersfield Union. They lived in a house had jobs as did all the neighbours.Its not the same "Union"we think of later on in the century its not the Workhouse.
I got confused and posted about it on West Yorkshire board as has someone else today.

[AntonyMMM]

The word Union is showing that the Registration District's were originally based on the Poor Law system areas and the names reflected that for a while and is how the district was named on the register .... nothing to do with being born in the workhouse.

[ctrunfree]

The word Union is showing that the Registration District's were originally based on the Poor Law system areas and the names reflected that for a while and is how the district was named on the register .... nothing to do with being born in the workhouse.

That makes sense, but is this a new way of showing the record.  Can anyone recall this being the case for registrations prior to 1846 on the old GRO search?