Poplar Workhouse inmates

[WhiteHunter]

I think (and hope) that I have found my greatgrand father as an inmate in the Poplar workhouse.  My question is ' would a carpenter be allow to live in a workhouse'   He was there for both the 1901 and 1911 census, in 1901 as married, yet no trace of a wife with him and a widow in 1911.   I was under the impression that the workhouse was for those individuals unable to support themselves.

[miriamkinga]

Hi Whitehunter,

Can you post the details so we can have a look? Prior to the NHS the workhouse was used to provide medical care, was he listed as inmate or patient?

best wishes

Maria

[WhiteHunter]

My Great Grandmother, Annie WHITE, formally JUPP, b: Kent Aug 1841 married, James Daniel WHITE, in Kent Oct 1862 and was widowed in Apr 1879.  She had an illegitimate son, in Dec 1881, but named the father as her late husband James!!   She married Walter WEBB in Nov 1883 in Leytonstone, he is shown as being of full age and of the parish of Leytonstone.  They had a son, my Grandfather Alfred Sydney WEBB in Mile End Rd in Dec 1887.   In the 1891 Census Annie is living, with her two sons, but no Walter in Ilford, still shown as married.   I have not found a positive Walter WEBB in the 1891 census.  By a foolish leap of blind hope I looked for a Walter WEBB in the 1901 census who would be about the same age as Annie and found a likely candidate in the Poplar workhouse, and shown as married, yet there was no female WEBB in the workhouse.   He was still there in 1911 when he is shown as a widower.  I can't find Annie, nor the two sons in the 1901 but in the 1911 census they are in Wirral Cheshire, for no apparent reason.   Sorry if I've rabbited on but hope some of it makes sense and you may be able to point me in the right direction

[miriamkinga]

I've found Walter in the census in 1901 and 1911. Interesting that he's listed as a widower in 1911. My ggg grandfather died in the workhouse in 1882 and his wife was listed as widow in the 1881 census - even though he was still alive.

Can't see the boys or Annie in any of the earlier censuses. What happened to the other son?

[WhiteHunter]

The 1911 census shows just mother Annie, now reverted to WHITE and one son, Alfred Sydney, who has had his name changed to WHITE with Annie's grandson.  The other son, the illegitimate William Whylie WHITE had emigrated to the USA in 1910.


None of the research I have carried out gives a PROVEN link that the Walter WEBB in the Poplar workhouse is the same Walter WEBB who married Annie WHITE, formally JUPP are one and the same.   I have a vague hope that the addmission registers, or any other documents from the Poplar Workhouse MAY shed some light.  The trouble is I don't know where the Poplar workhouse documents are held.   Any one out there know?

[miriamkinga]

Poplar records are at the LMA: -

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Poplar/

[WhiteHunter]

Thanks for the info, I'll have to make a journey down to London pretty soon.

[Mary Lint]

I recently read a very good book that featured the Poplar workhouse around that time period. It was the life story of Will Crooks MP. As a boy he was actually sent to the Poplar workhouse with most of his family when his father lost an arm and the family was plunged into poverty. The experience put him on the road to becoming quite a social reformer and champion of the poor. Remarkably the once poor kid as an adult became chairman of the board of Guardians that ran the Poplar workhouse. He was so revolted by the conditions there that he set about reforming the whole workhouse system. He was quite the character and his social reforms have had a lasting effect even on todays society. Here's a link if anyone wants to know more. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1470162350

I'm glad to see workhouses getting so much media coverage recently. I'm absolutely fascinated by them. I can't believe how much talk there is these days with people suggesting we bring them back. Hopefully the more media coverage there is, the more people will realise just how awful those places were.

Mary

[cannuck21]

Hi

I have just joined this forum (and Rootschat) I found this site after discovering that my father was born at 86 Poplar High Street on 23rd May 1911. My grandfather was a boilermaker at the docks and it apparently took some time before he married my grandmother. They had 8 children with my father being the eldest. He did fine - and taught electrical engineering at Westminster Tech, was a MIEE and made a good life.
3 of the family moved here to Canada (two as war brides) and made a good life here on the west coast.
Many thanks for all who have posted here