Age for Lying in ward of Workhouse

[josey]

Were only women in labour admitted to a lying in ward of a workhouse in the early 1800s? Or might it be like today where patients are admitted wherever there was space? Here is an admission entry for a 54 yr old woman.

[Maiden Stone]

Perhaps she or whoever gave information about her over-estimated her age. It may have been the first time she'd been asked her age. If the family were from Ireland it's possible that English wasn't their first language and mixed up numerals in English.
Women who weren't about to give birth would have been in a women's ward.

[coombs]

I would go for the latter possible answer to your question. Workhouse did act as hospitals as well. I doubt at 54 she was "expecting" again and about to give birth.

[josey]

Thank you for your thoughts, both.