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  • Workhouse Questions

    Hi

    I'm transcribing the 1901 census for a particular workhouse and have a couple of questions:

    1. Some of the peeps are described as "Casual Patient" as opposed to the others who are just listed as "Patient". Does anyone know what the difference might be, please?

    2. A couple of the elderly ladies are described (in the Profession or Occupation column) as "Living on Own Means". Does that mean they paid to stay there, as opposed to the others who didn't? Didn't know that was "allowed".

    All help gratefully received.

    Thanks
    STG
    Always looking for Goodwins in Berkshire.

  • #2
    Patient seems to indicate they were in the Workhouse infirmary - so casual patient perhaps means just in for some treatment.

    I had one man in the workhouse as a tramp along with quite a number of other tramps lol!



    Researching Irish families: FARMER, McBRIDE McQUADE, McQUAID, KIRK, SANDS/SANAHAN (Cork), BARR,

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    • #3
      STG

      I have a relative who was in the workhouse infirmary for many years and her father paid a small sum for her keep. The poor law authorities always tried to find someone to pay although of course in many instances that wasn't possible.

      I agree with JBee that casual patient meant they were expected to be gone soon, as opposed to being a permanent patient.

      OC

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      • #4
        Thanks both. Apart from the staff, everyone else there is described as Patient or a Casual Patient. There are no "inmates". So that would seem to suggest that everyone was there in the hospital part, which seems a bit unlikely, doesn't it? There are a few people there who were "Inmates" there on the 1891 census (including one young woman listed as an imbecile and her 4mth old daughter; they're still there 10yrs later, the woman is again listed as an imbecile and the child is now 10yo). Also, quite a few of the Casual Patients in 1901 are their with their wives/children ...

        On the 1891 version for the same Workhouse those who aren't staff are listed as either Patients or Vagrants, no other terms.

        STG
        Last edited by SmallTownGirl; 30-01-15, 19:01.
        Always looking for Goodwins in Berkshire.

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        • #5
          dont know if you know of this site but it may help

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          • #6
            Several of the larger workhouses actually had more than one building and by the early 1900s, were sorting people out by category, so it is quite possible you have stumbled on the infirmary of a workhouse, which might not be attached to the actual workhouse.

            OC

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            • #7
              If you go back to page 1 of the district you are on there should be a description of that enumeration district. Workhouses usually have a ED all to themselves. Does it not say whether this is a workhouse /infirmary or other?

              Sounds to me like a nursing home ( for want of a better word) of some description. The workhouses became various institutions at the end of 1800's and into early 1900's.

              Edit: Have you not googled history for that particular workhouse?
              Last edited by Katarzyna; 31-01-15, 00:11.
              Kat

              My avatar is my mother 1921 - 2012

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              • #8
                It's just a small-town workhouse, and I now read:

                In common with other workhouses, it provided separate accommodation for the "casual poor" — mostly tramps and vagrants who were given one or two nights accommodation in return for performing a task of work, typically stone-breaking.

                On the description page it says:

                1891 - Poor House and Union Workhouse
                1901 - Union Workhouse
                1911 - Union Workhouse

                so maybe some of the differences in descriptions are just down to the individual enumerator's "style".

                Thanks again.

                STG
                Always looking for Goodwins in Berkshire.

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                • #9
                  Is it possible yet to view (not necessarily online but preferably) the workhouse records for circa 1914 - it is 100 years now.
                  I am looking for circa 1914 workhouse records for Kings Lynn (?South) - the library told me all the W.H. records are in Norwich Archives - I would really need to look between 1914-1918 - I suppose there is no chance of that.

                  Sue
                  Last edited by Sue1; 31-01-15, 15:29.

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                  • #10
                    familysearch thinks they're online, although I have not clicked on the link it gives, and it may be referring to just the ones listed (to 1904)
                    Discover your family history. Explore the world’s largest collection of free family trees, genealogy records and resources.

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                    • #11
                      Of the actual names I was able to look at (not transcribed and difficult to read) they only go up to 1901 in the main.
                      It does state they are in the County Record Office - maybe they have got them on Microfilm.

                      Thanks for putting that on.

                      Sue

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