Workhouse Boulton Lane

Everything has to fit somewhere! Anything else related to Dursley's past.
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Patricia
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Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:12 pm

Workhouse Boulton Lane

Post by Patricia »

Does anyone have any knowledge about the Workhouse.

My father lived at Hungerhill when he was a child and told me that people entering the Workhouse had to be pennyless so any money they had they used to put it in the wall along the Slad. All the children in the area knew about this practice so would search the walls every evening to look for money. They were lucky sometimes. How wicked to rob from the poor. Unfortunately most of the families living in the area were poor themselves.

dursleyglos
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Re: Workhouse Boulton Lane

Post by dursleyglos »

Hi Patricia. I know this story too - appararently when the walls around the workhouse were demolished some of the coins were found. It's a shame the building isn't still there.
Andy - Dursley Glos Web Admin

Patricia
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:12 pm

Re: Workhouse Boulton Lane

Post by Patricia »

We hear so much about "credit crunch" at the moment but life in our grandparents' lifetime was very hard.

My mother's mother died in childbirth, there were seven children. My mother was adopted. Her younger brother was brought up by the elder sisters.

One of her sisters had severe arthritis and was sent to the Workhouse because they couldn't look after her.

dursleyglos
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Re: Workhouse Boulton Lane

Post by dursleyglos »

Hi Patricia. I agree with you about the difficulties of life in those days compared to today. I have a copy of the Dursley Union Workhouse "Abstract of Accounts and List of Paupers" for October 1896 and looking through it you can get a picture of how people ended up there. Reasons include infirmity, widowhood, imbecile, deafness, destitution, epilepsy, broken leg, defective sight, asthma, desertion, pregnancy, orphan, and so on. All the paupers' names are listed and most had been in there for at least six months. Quite eye-opening.
Andy - Dursley Glos Web Admin

Patricia
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:12 pm

Re: Workhouse Boulton Lane

Post by Patricia »

Dear Andrew

Since starting my family tree I have now discovered my grandfather was born in Dursley Workhouse and have inserted some of the photographs of the Workhouse into my journal, but would be interested in reading the "Abstract of Accounts and List of Paupers" for October 1896.

Kind regards

Patricia

dursleyglos
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Re: Workhouse Boulton Lane

Post by dursleyglos »

Hello Patricia
It does make interesting reading. I actually have copies for a few years. If you let me know your grandfather's full name and the years you believe he was there I may be able to copy some of it and post here.
Best Wishes
Andy
Andy - Dursley Glos Web Admin

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