Boston Poor Law Union

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• As a result of the Poor Law Amendment Act reform of 1834, some 40 Boston-area parishes became part of the Boston Poor Law Union which was officially formed in September 1836. The new Union Workhouse was a large brick building built on four acres of land called Friar's Pastureon Skirbeck Road in 1837-8 with accomodation for 450 people.
  
  
• The Boston Poorlaw Union Board of Guardians met on alternate Saturdays at the workhouse.
  
  
• The Boston Poorlaw Union sent many of their lunatic cases to the Haydock Lodge in Manchester. Other lunatics from Boston Union seem to be in "Hull Refuge".
  
  
• The Lincolnshire Archives has the Boston Poor Law Union admission/discharge registers 1838-39, gap from 1840 to 1875, then full run.
  
  
• The Lincolnshire FHS has the Poor Law Miscellany Vol 1 (1 fiche) £1 (includes Boston Workhouse Register of Births 1866-1879; Boston Borough Quarter Sessions Poor Law Documents 1719/20 to 1881; available via the Federation of Family History Societies Bookstore.
  
  
• The Lincolnshire FHS also has the Poor Law Miscellany Vol 3 which includes Boston Workhouse Register of deaths 1866-1902 available via the Federation of Family History Societies Bookstore.
  
  
• Boston Union Workhouse deaths 1866-1902 will be available on the Lincolnshire Family History Pay Per View site starting November 2003. The 1903-1913 deaths will also be available there.
  
  
• In addition, the FHS has the Boston Workhouse Girls School Admissions/Discharge register for 1850-1872, the Certificate Book of Detention of Lunatics for 1890-1902, both on microfiche available via the Federation of Family History Societies Bookstore.
  
  
• For more on LFHS and the Lincoln Archives have on Lincolnshire Poor Law records, see our Poorhouses page.
  
  
• We also have a small text file of Boston Union Minutes, 1841-1860 and births, 1874 you can review (and add to!).
  
  
• For more on researching Poor Law records, see our Poor Law records list.
  
  

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Staff and officers

• 1842: Rev. Dr. ROY, Chairman of the Board of Guardians; Richard CALTHORP, vice-chairman; John George CALTHROP, clerk; George J. CUCKOW, auditor; Thomas SILVESTER, workhouse master. Relieving officers: Wm. Gideon ATKIN, Thomas HAMPTON and James BRUMMITT.
  
  
• 10 Sept. 1842: Philip BRIERLEY and Ann his wife were appointed the new schoolmaster and schoolmistress.
  
  
• 1872: Henry BATES, clerk; Robert Aslack WHITE, auditor; Rev. George Beatson BLENKIN, chaplain; Mr. JAMES, workhouse master; Mrs. M. E. PLANT, matron; Thomas SOWDEN, schoolmaster; Miss E. WELLS, schoolmistress; Samuel WHITWORTH, porter. Relieving officers: W. G. ATKIN, Thomas WARNER and James PLANT.
  
  
• 1881: Henry BATES, clerk; Rev. George Beatson BLENKIN, chaplain; Mr. E. B. RECKITT, medical officer; Mr. J. E. RIGDEN jr., workhouse master; Mrs. M. E. PLANT, matron; J. H. WRAY, schoolmaster; Miss E. WELLS, schoolmistress; William DAWSON, porter; Mrs. E. DAWSON, nurse. Relieving officers: W. G. ATKIN, Thomas WARNER and James PLANT.
  
  
• 1900: William UPSALL, Chairman of the Board of Guardians; John Millington SIMPSON, clerk; William GARFIT, treasurer; Wiliam Henry SMITH, medical officer, Thomas William STEEL, workhouse master; Mrs. Mary Martha STEEL, matron; Thos. Benjamin HEWETT, schoolmaster; Miss Effie WELLS, schoolmistress. Relieving officers: Alfred OSTLER, J. TAYLOR and Thomas HAND.
  
  
• 1913: William POOLES, Chairman of the Board of Guardians; John Millington SIMPSON, clerk; William GARFIT, treasurer; Wiliam Henry SMITH, medical officer, Thomas William STEEL, workhouse master; Mrs. Mary Martha STEEL, matron. Relieving officers: Alfred OSTLER, A. ARNELL and Thomas HAND.
  
  

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District Population

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Bibliography

• None.
  
  

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