"John Penrhyn governor of the workhouse was buried at St Oswald's Parish Church on 5th January 1788."
He would have been buried in the churchyard but almost all the stones were removed some years ago and placed in piles around the edge to allow for a Parish Hall to be built.
There is also a burial of an Elizabeth Penrhyn of Church Street(The street containing St Oswalds) on 18th July 1790.
I find it interesting that he died in 1788 as according to William Cathrall in his History of Oswestry, published in 1855, Oswestry's House of Industry was set up by a 1790 Act of Parliament and opened its doors on 28th April 1791. This was a massive building which was burnt down under suspicious circumstances in the 1980s.
There is a suggestion that Oswestry had a workhouse before that for some 30 inmates. I'll have a check with the Local History Society.
I have a copy of Isaac Watkins Oswestry published in 1920. In it is the following
"In the Reports of the Town Charities issued between 1815 & 1838, it is stated that in 1781, the surplus charity of £5 4s for bread for The Poor of Oswestry given under the Will, dated 1616, of Sir John Swinnerton, merchant tailor, Lord Mayor of London 1612 and son of Thomas Swinnerton of Oswestry, was realised to enable the town to purchase and repair certain premises adjoining the churchyard for the purpose of a workhouse. A vestry meeting on 9th Sept 1781, when it was ordered that Thomas Morris and John Edwards, churchwardens, shall contract for and purchase for £126, with money belonging to the parishioners commonly called the Poors money, the old school house adjoining the churchyard heretofore purchased by John Price, joiner, deceased in order that such messuages may be converted into a workhouse for the reception of poor parishioners."
"The purchase was duly made and 12 months later there is an entry regardingthe conduct of the workhouse."
Nov 3rd 1782 It was agreed that the sum of 1 shilling and 8 pence instead of 1s 6d be allowed William Winstanley per week for each person now in the workhouse.
