Stories from the Workhouse ......... part 1 ..... Manchester and Chorlton

Now when I was growing up in the 1950s, the Workhouse still cast a grim shadow over those of an older generation.

The offices of the Chorlton Union, 2009

Even though they had been dispatched to history in the 1930s, the power of those “Poor Law Bastiles” exerted a mix of quiet horror and fear amongst anyone who lived on the margin and might well remember a period spent within their walls.

My own great grandmother had her last child in the Derby Workhouse and all her surviving children spent time in the care of the Derby Union.

And I suspect that most of us will if we delve back into our own family history find a relative who was forced to seek admission.

For the poor who were old or infirm they might be the final destination after a life of hard labour and much privation, and for others they might be a temporary measure when illness, unemployment or the death of the breadwinner plunged them into extreme poverty or destination.

So over the next few weeks I shall be revisiting the story of the Poor Law, both before and after 1834, and its development during the 19th and early 20th century.

The infirmary, Withington Workhouse, 1900

And because I live in Manchester and others have expressed an interest in the Poor Law Unions in the city here is a description of those covering Manchester and beyond taken from the archives and local history library of Manchester Libraries.*

The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act replaced the old poor law with a national system for dealing with poor relief. It was was administered by the newly formed Poor Law Unions. Boards of Guardians replaced Overseers of the Poor. In Manchester three Poor Law Unions were created: Manchester Union, Prestwich Union and Chorlton Union.

The original Manchester Union was formed in 1841. It consisted of the following townships:
Manchester, Blackley, Bradford, Cheetham, Crumpsall, Failsworth, Harpurhey, Moston, Newton, Prestwich, Great Heaton and Little Heaton.

Inside the Withington Workhouse, 1900

In April 1850 the township of Manchester was constituted as a separate Poor Law authority and the remaining townships formed the Prestwich Union.

The township of Beswick was added in 1858 and Clayton in 1894. Great Heaton and Little Heaton were detached in 1891.
Chorlton Union was formed in January 1837.

It was made up of:
Chorlton-Upon-Medlock, Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, Openshaw, Ardwick, Hulme, Stretford, Moss Side, Levenshulme, Rusholme, Didsbury, Withington, Gorton, (divided in 1894 into Gorton and West Gorton) and Burnage.

Barton-upon-Irwell, Flixton and Urmston were added in 1841, but detached in 1849. Stretford was also detached in 1849. In 1910 the Poor Law Union was consolidated to form the township of South Manchester for Poor Law purposes

The entrance to the Chorlton Union Office, 2009

In 1915 the Poor Law Unions undertook a major reorganisation. The township of Manchester, the township of South Manchester and the Prestwich Union were joined to constitute the Manchester Union.

We hold some records of the Guardians of The Poor of The Manchester Chorlton and Prestwich Unions, 1837 to 1948 (ref GB127.M4, available in the search room, please make an appointment with at least one day notice).

Location; Manchester and Chorlton

Pictures; the offices of the Chorlton Union, 2009, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, and inside Withington Workhouse, the sick ward m08952, 1900, T. Morley-Brook, and staff and inmates, date unknown m81238, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass


*Manchester City Council Archives and Local history https://secure.manchester.gov.uk/info/448/archives_and_local_history/7384/poor_law_workhouses_and_industrial_schools/3