Bourne Poor Law Union

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• As a result of the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, some 37 Bourne-area parishes became part of the Bourne Poor Law Union on 25 Nov. 1835. The number of constituent parishes varied over the years as some amalgamated and new ones formed. The union covered over 90,900 acres.
  
  
• There were four sub-districts: Corby, Deeping, Aslackby and Bourne.
  
  
• The new workhouse was completed in 1837, located at the end of St. Peter's Road on the west side of Bourne. It was designed to hold up to 300 paupers. To read more about this facility, see the Peter Higgenbotham site.
  
  
• The Board of Guardians met every Thursday for many years. By 1900, they reduced this to every other Thursday at 11am.
  
  
• In the 1920s, with modernisation of public welfare, the building became known as the Bourne Public Assistance Institituion, then Wellhead House. In the 1930s it became a hospital for mental patients. Most of the buildings were torn down in 2001.
  
  
• The Lincolnshire Archives has the Bourne Poor Law Union Guardian Minute Books (1837-1930 with gaps); Admissions and discharges (1836-1930 with gaps - gap between 1861 and 1876); Births (1866-1930); Deaths (1866-1936).
  
  
• Bourne Workhouse deaths 1866-1890 are included on the LFHS microfiche publication "Bourne Union Workhouse". Deaths from 1890-1936 have not been published but are at Lincolnshire Archives. The reference to the register for 1890 to 1917 is PL2/302/25. The 1890-1917 deaths and 1917-1936 deaths will be available on the Lincolnshire Family History Pay Per View site starting November 2003.
  
  
• The Lincolnshire FHS also has the Bourne Union Workhouse Minutes Volume 4 1877-1894 available. Visit them via the Societies page.
  
  
• We also have a small text file of Bourne Union Minutes you can review (and add to!).
  
  
• For more on LFHS and the Lincoln Archives have on Lincolnshire Poor Law records, see our Poorhouses page.
  
  
• For more on researching Poor Law records, see our Poor Law records list.
  
  

Top

District Population

• The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
  
  

Top

Bibliography

• The Lincolnshire Family History Society publishes the Minutes of the Board of Guardians, Part 1 1837-1842, 61 pages A4.
  
  

Top

Staff and officers

• 1842: W. D. BELL, clerk; Patrick McGOLDRICK, workhouse master. Relieving Officers: John ELLIS, John LENTON and W. SEWELL.
  
  
• 1872: Thomas LAWRENCE, chairman of the Board of Guardians; Major PARKER, vice-chairman; Stephen SMITH, vice-chairman; John Leonard BELL, clerk; Charles WHITTLE, workhouse master; Mrs. D. WHITTLE, matron; Rev. William Wright LAYNG, chaplain. Relieving Officers: Richard WILLAM and W. CONINGTON.
  
  
• 1882: Thomas LAWRENCE, chairman of the Board of Guardians; Major PARKER, vice-chairman; Stephen SMITH, vice-chairman; John Leonard BELL, clerk; Edgar JENNER, workhouse master; Mrs. Fanny S. JENNER, matron; James BURWOOD-WATSON, medical officer; Frederick VINTER, sanitary inspector; Rev. Hugh McNeill MANSFIELD, chaplain. Relieving Officers: W. H. HODGKIN and W. CONINGTON.
  
  
• 1892: Thomas PICK, chairman of the Board of Guardians; Cecil Walker BELL, clerk; Col. Mildmay Willson WILLSON, treasurer; A YATES, workhouse master; Mrs. Elizabeth YATES, matron; James Watson BURDWOOD, medical officer; Rev. Hugh McNeill MANSFIELD, chaplain. Relieving Officers: William WHITFIELD and Fred PENNINGTON.
  
  
• 1900: Thomas PICK, chairman of the Board of Guardians; Cecil Walker BELL, clerk; Col. Mildmay Willson WILLSON, treasurer; A YATES, workhouse master; Mrs. Elizabeth YATES, matron; James Watson BURDWOOD, medical officer; Rev. Hugh McNeill MANSFIELD, chaplain. Relieving Officers: William WHITFIELD and Fred PENNINGTON.
  
  

Top

© 2003 EnglandGenWeb Project