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Here is a link to a site on workhouses, lodging houses, the poor laws, & etc. It's a nice site.
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Last edited by Celesta; 02-22-2008, 03:45 AM.
"What our ancestors would really be thinking, if they were alive today, is: "Why is it so dark in here?"" From Pyramids by Sir Terry Pratchett, a British National Treasure. 
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It is a great site Celesta, when I was at the Islington Local Studies/ Archives Centre they could not plug this site enough!!
I had them email the link to my inbox so when i got home from London I could check it out!
Its full of great information, photos and other useful resources for both the budding researcher (me!) or the seasoned pro!
MikeRegards Mike
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Thanks, Mike, I think it is a good site, too. For some reason, it disappeared for awhile, then suddenly it was back. The picture of Commercial Homes is in there also. Or was back in the summer.
Keep trucking,
C "What our ancestors would really be thinking, if they were alive today, is: "Why is it so dark in here?"" From Pyramids by Sir Terry Pratchett, a British National Treasure.
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Initially the site kept freezing and you would be stuck on the same page until you closed down the internet.
The site was then taken away and updated and it is back and nicer than ever.
MikeRegards MikeComment
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Actually it is a great and very interesting sight. In peticular I findthe census records of eighteen eighty one most fascinating. Quite insightful. And shocking. I started going through them in research for a Victorian period novel I'm working on. And I must admit they're quite informative.
In peticular I found the numbers and professional backgrounds of unwed mothers shocking. I go through the names. I find marrital status and age. Then I find a kid's name above or below the woman's. Kids' ages varrying from less than a week to a couple of years. Sometimes parental status is indicated sometimes not. But the age of single women varies. Youngest I've found so far for possible mothers ranges from as young as Fourteen to the top age of fifty four. And for some of these women there is one or more older kids. Most of these women are servants with factory workers almost as numerous, with the occasional barmaid and prostitute and hawker and other professionals mixed in.
I am very impressed with the organization and administration of these institutions. They are a far cry from the Pauper prisons that they've been protrayed as. Indeed, I think they're better than the current welfare system in most western countries.Comment
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Hi TerrierK & Mike,
Good Morning.
I am glad that the site is back. I sometimes just go through the names, on this link or others I bumble across, one at a time, and I have had a few heart-stopping moments when I think I have found someone assoc. with the cases, but, of course, they are always the wrong person!
What impressed me about some of these workhouses and asylums is the huge scale of the buildings. Sometimes you can follow their development over the years. They must have dealt with a vast number of people. Sometimes you can find old postcards of some of the asylums on the internet for sale. I haven't seen any of the workhouses yet though.
TK, good luck on the novel.
Celesta "What our ancestors would really be thinking, if they were alive today, is: "Why is it so dark in here?"" From Pyramids by Sir Terry Pratchett, a British National Treasure.
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There are a couple of school type sights with articles on them on the net but they've been edited down. Things like articles on unmarried mothers deleted. One said that in London of the eitheen eighties there were some forty thousand people residing in workhouses as compared for the prisons who held some four thousans souls but that too has been deleted.
This one is quite full of information about the sytem.
Some of them are quite large and very sophisticated in organization. Not to mention very common sense in approach and accountability. Yes, they were run like prison schools but they worked and anyone who wanted could leave or come back. They were able to care effectively for people. HOuse them. Care for them. Educate them. Keep them out of trouble. Yet not spoil or pamper them while remaining cost effective to the public. What shocks me is politicians did away with this working system for the current expensive mess.
What impressed me most is the compassion built into the developed workhouse system along with a realist approach to people though they were in the beginning quite ugly.Comment
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Hi TK,
There is an interesting Salvation Army site also. Were you looking at schools as well? How far back were you going? I saw something last night that I believe was back in the 1840's, possibly too early for your purposes. There is also a nice site dedicated to the Lambs. "What our ancestors would really be thinking, if they were alive today, is: "Why is it so dark in here?"" From Pyramids by Sir Terry Pratchett, a British National Treasure.
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Eighteen eighties is where I'm working through. Originally I was researching the workhouses as a source of villeiny like with Oliver Twist. Not to mention background for some of my characters. Unwed mothers became a source of intererest researching maid servants who if you've looked closely contribute heavily to that group above factory girls. But imagine my surprise to find a working system that provides for the impoverished in need of care without burdening the taxpayer. They worked a lot better and with less money than our food stamp and housing voucher system that's taken its place. They got the job done and few wanted to stay there.Comment
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This one might interest you, TK, as there is a short bit in here about the operation of a workhouse in Stratford-on-Avon.
I just realized I said there was a section on Commercial Homes in that upper link. I meant Victoria Homes! I swear my brain is turning to mush.
"What our ancestors would really be thinking, if they were alive today, is: "Why is it so dark in here?"" From Pyramids by Sir Terry Pratchett, a British National Treasure.
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Very interesting indeed.Comment
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I've found this from the Victorian web very informative
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Hi TK,
I agree that it is a good one. I didn't know if it was on here or not. I'm glad you posted it.
C
"What our ancestors would really be thinking, if they were alive today, is: "Why is it so dark in here?"" From Pyramids by Sir Terry Pratchett, a British National Treasure.
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Madhouses
These are for madhouses, the poor laws, etc. There are a number of institutions here and some links to other information. Although much of this is earlier than the relevent JTR time frame, there are also later references.
Last edited by Celesta; 02-22-2008, 10:44 PM. "What our ancestors would really be thinking, if they were alive today, is: "Why is it so dark in here?"" From Pyramids by Sir Terry Pratchett, a British National Treasure.
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