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Workhouse question

Ann Steiner

Ann Steiner

master brummie
Recently members were kind enough to help me in looking up info on my gr-gr-grandfather Edwin, along with his mother and younger brother John in the 1871 census. Their mother was a widow, and Edwin was unemployed. Two forum members wrote that "they were in the workhouse".



I've been trying to read up a bit on the workhouse system, and found Kathleen Dayus writings quite informative. I believe there were workhouses where families were lodged, but also from Kathleen's books, people also remained in their own homes, and the local parish would step in and help out.

Since they were listed as living at 87 Great Colmore Street, and there is no mention of a workhouse in the census report for Edwin and his family, how does one determine that they were in the workhouse? Although his younger brother was working, would the fact that the mother was an elderly widow, and Edwin was unemployed be an obvious indication of the workhouse/assistance?

Is there maybe anywhere that one would go to look/research to see if a family was taking part in the workhouse program, and for how long?

Thank you for your time!
Ann
 
perhaps they were only in the workhouse for a short time, but at the time of the christening of martha jane harrison in jan 1873 the record says - abode. workhouse. edwin may have managed to find employment again :)
 
Thank you for your help again, Shera.

I can see there are other sources where this type of information would be found, that if you don't have access to it, then you miss things!

At some point Edwin did find work again, as he is listed as employed in the 1881 census. Kathleen's books are not only a source of interest about her own life personally, but provide a window into social conditions at that time. And I don't think there was a great deal of change from her time frame to that earlier of the ancestors of mine that I'm researching. Life was incredibly hard then for so many people, and difficult to imagine today.

Thank you again!

Ann
 
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