Author Topic: Cambridge Union Workhouse, Mill Street.  (Read 8714 times)

Offline Jill123

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Cambridge Union Workhouse, Mill Street.
« on: Monday 26 December 11 13:37 GMT (UK) »
Hello.
   Can anybody help me please? I am trying to find details of my ancestor's time in the above workhouse. I found him in the Union Workhouse on the 1871 census but  shortly afterwards he had committed suicide by cutting his throat on Midsummer Common in Cambridge. I have found out all about his early life spent in The Hussars in India but would like to find out about his time in this workhouse. For example when and why was he admitted. He was discharged from the 15th Hussars in 1857 but I can't find him on the 1861 census. Are there workhouse records anywhere online?
    His name was Anderson Marsh b 1822 Cambridge. He died 1 May 1871 in Addenbrooks Hospital. Does anyody know where he would have been buried? The workhouse cemetery? Addenbrooks cemetery?
    Thanking you in advance.
                 Jill

Offline stanmapstone

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Re: Cambridge Union Workhouse, Mill Street.
« Reply #1 on: Monday 26 December 11 13:43 GMT (UK) »
Some Records are held by  Cambridge Archives and Local Studies, see http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Cambridge/

Stan
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Offline Jill123

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Re: Cambridge Union Workhouse, Mill Street.
« Reply #2 on: Monday 26 December 11 14:03 GMT (UK) »
Thankyou for replying so quickly, Stan, but I was hoping some Workhouse records would be available online as I live in Cornwall and it's virtually impossible for me to visit Cambridge Archives in person.
            Jill

Offline Keith Sherwood

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Re: Cambridge Union Workhouse, Mill Street.
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 27 December 11 15:21 GMT (UK) »
Hi, Jill,
The Union Workhouse, now known as Ditchburn Place, is actually in Mill Road.  I looked up something from their records at the CCRO a while ago, but once all this holiday shutdown is over I could go up to Castle Hill and have a look for you...
regards, keith
p.s. Sounds like an interesting case, might have also been something about his demise in the Cambridge Chronicle of the time...


Offline Jill123

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Re: Cambridge Union Workhouse, Mill Street.
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 27 December 11 16:13 GMT (UK) »
Hello Keith,
   I would be most grateful if you could go up to the CCRO and check out the workhouse records for me whenever you get time.
   I already have The Cambridge Chronicle reportage of Anderson Marsh's  inquest dated 6 May 1871, and also his discharge papers from The 15th Hussars. I've discovered that it was unusual for a man to serve for so long in India (Anderson was nine and a half years in Bangalore) and he may have become mentally unstable there as he was quoted in the Chronicle's inquest report as having had 'sunstroke' twice and was 'quite out of his mind'. It also states that  'For the last two or three years he had been in the workhouse, occasionally coming out to see his father. However his father had died eight weeks ago'.   Also, just before he died it states he seemed 'dazed'. Was this workhouse also a 'home' for the mentally ill do you think? And did servicemen receive a pension upon discharge?
    Sorry to lumber you with so many questions but I feel so sorry for the poor man (he was the brother of my 3 x great grandma, and I found out that he used a razor to cut his throat on Midsummer Common - ugh!) and I would like to find out as much about his sad life as I can. He never married.
    Thanks again for your kindly reply and offer of help.
                     Regards,
                            Jill
           
   

Offline Selina

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Re: Cambridge Union Workhouse, Mill Street.
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 27 December 11 17:27 GMT (UK) »
Hi Jill,

The burial of Anderson Marsh appears in the parish register of St. Benedict's Church, Cambridge (commonly known as St. Bene't's).  This church is in the centre of Cambridge was often used for people dying in Addenbrooke's Hospital (the old Addenbrooke's was nearby) and so does not indicate the parish wherein they normally resided.

His burial took place on 5th May 1871, Anderson Marsh of Addenbrooke's Hospital 49.

I would think  he was almost certainly buried in the St. Benedict's section of Mill Road Cemetery and you can see this on http://www.millroadcemetery.org.uk/MillRoadCemetery/Home.aspx
Click on 13 Parishes and the trustees on the left for the map.

Regards,

Selina
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Offline Jill123

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Re: Cambridge Union Workhouse, Mill Street.
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 27 December 11 19:03 GMT (UK) »
Oh wow! That's great, Selina. Thanks so much for this info. I never thought I'd find out any more about him after finding his inquest report. Do you think he'd be buried in a 'christian' cemetery considering he was a suicide? It's making me even more determined to try to find his grave and, hopefully, put some flowers on it one day in the future perhaps.
     Thanks again.
              Jill
   

Offline Selina

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Re: Cambridge Union Workhouse, Mill Street.
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 27 December 11 19:42 GMT (UK) »
I see your point about burial.  Can't think where else he would be.  However if he was judged to be of unsound mind surely that would entitle him to a Christian burial?

There is no note in parish register that he was buried in unconsecrated ground.

Selina
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Offline Keith Sherwood

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Re: Cambridge Union Workhouse, Mill Street.
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 27 December 11 22:17 GMT (UK) »
Jill and Selina,
When I get up to the CCRO I'll have a look in their book of interrals in the Mill Road Cemetery, and see where exactly in the St Benedict's (St Bene't's) section Anderson Marsh is buried.  The cemetery is just down the road from Ditchburn Place and from where I live, so I'll see if there's any headstone there.  Though there's been quite a bit of vandalism in the cemetery recently, I'm afraid...
keith