Workhouse Gallery

A workhouse is a place where people who are unable to support themselves can go to live and work

Shotley Bridge General Hospital, County Durham
Aerial view of Shotley Bridge Hospital, County Durham. It was originally opened by the Gateshead Union in 1912 as a TB sanatorium (far right of picture)

Warwick County Mental Hospital, Hatton, Warwickshire
An aerial view of the Warwick County Mental Hospital at Hatton, Warwickshire, originally opened in 1846 as the Warwick County Lunatic Asylum. The site later became known as the Central Hospital

Busy street scene at Spitalfields, East End of London
A busy street scene at Spitalfields in the East End of London. The location is the junction of Commercial Street and Brushfield Street. The building at the right is Spitalfields Market

Manchester Warehousemen Orphan Schools, Cheadle Hulme
The Manchester Warehousemen Orphan Schools, on Claremont Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. The school was founded in 1855 by a group of Manchester businessmen to care for and educate orphans

Asylum Lodge, Devizes, Wiltshire
The entrance lodge to the County Lunatic Asylum at Devizes, Wiltshire opened in 1851. In 1924 it was renamed Wiltshire County Mental Hospital, then in 1948 renamed Roundway Hospital

Driffield Union workhouse, East Yorkshire
The entrance to the union workhouse (or Poor Law Institution) on Bridlington Road, Driffield, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Two inmates can be seen on the left, sitting on a bench

The Hollies Childrens Home, Sidcup, Kent
Aerial view of The Hollies, the Greenwich & Deptford Unions cottage homes at Lamorbey, near Sidcup, Kent, opened in 1902 to house pauper children away from the workhouse

Compass Drill, Training Ship Arethusa, Greenhithe, Kent
A group of boys aboard the Training Ship Arethusa receiving compass instruction. The ship received boys aged 13-16 from a variety of poor backgrounds, including the workhouse

Mount Pleasant Hotel, Kings Cross, London
The Mount Pleasant Hotel at the corner of Kings Cross Road and Calthorpe Street, Central London. The building was originally erected in 1894 as one of Londons six Rowton Houses - large

Knotting Class, Training Ship Arethusa, Greenhithe, Kent
A group of boys aboard the Training Ship Arethusa receiving knotting and splicing instruction. The ship received boys aged 13-16 from a variety of poor backgrounds, including the workhouse

Stone Asylum, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Entrance to the Buckinghamshire County Lunatic Asylum at Stone, near Aylesbury. A porter stands at the right of the gateway

Guinness Lodging Houses, Lever Street, London. The building was erected in 1890 by the Guinness Trust to provide cheap housing for working men. Date: Date unknown

Congleton Union Workhouse, Arclid, Cheshire
Aerial view of Congleton Union workhouse at Arclid, Sandbach, Cheshire. The building, erected in 1844-5, was designed by Henry Bowman. It later became Arclid Hospital

Union Workhouse, Wokingham, Berkshire
The Wokingham Union workhouse, Berkshire. The workhouse, opened in 1850 on Barkham Road, Wokingham, later became Wokingham Hospital

Union Workhouse, Todmorden, West Yorkshire
The Todmorden Union workhouse at Lee Bottom near Mankinholes, West Yorkshire, erected in 1877. The site later became Stansfield View Hospital

Union Workhouse, Halifax, West Yorkshire
The Halifax Union workhouse on Gibbet Street, Halifax, West Yorkshire. After 1930, it became St Johns Public Assistance Institution

Dorking General Hospital, Surrey
Aerial view of Dorking General Hospital on Horsham Road, Dorking, Surrey. Designed by William Shearburn, the building opened in 1841 as the Dorking Union workhouse

Halifax Workhouse 1901
A birdseye view of the workhouse infirmary at Halifax, Yorkshire

Lewisham Military Hospital, High Street, Lewisham
Lewisham Military Hospital operated during the First World War in the premises of the Lewisham Union workhouse. A large sign bearing the red cross symbol stands over the entrance. Date: Date unknown

Childrens Playroom, St Pelagias Home, Highgate
The childrens playroom at St Pelagias Home for penitent girls at 34 Highgate West Hill, London N6. The home provided accommodation for unmarried mothers and their children. Date: circa 1932

Charlie Chaplin as the little tramp
Film actor and director Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977), film star and director, seen here in his little tramp costume, probably in a still from his 1925 film, The Gold Rush

Jewish Children, East End of London
A crowd of Jewish children in the East End of London

Rochdale Union Workhouse, Dearnley, Lancashire
The approach to the Rochdale Union workhouse, opened in 1877 at Dearnley, near Rochdale, Lancashire. The site later became Birch Hill Hospital

Exminster Asylum, Devon
The administrative building of the Exminster Asylum, opened in 1845 as the Devon County Lunatic Asylum. It was later known as the Devon County Mental Hospital, then as Exminster Hospital

Grove Park Hospital, Lewisham, south east London
Aerial view of the Grove Park Hospital, Marvels Lane, Lewisham, south east London. The buildings, designed by T & J Norman Dinwiddy, were erected in 1899-1902 as a workhouse for the Greenwich Union

Barming Asylum, Maidstone, Kent
The main building of Barming Asylum located on Hermitage Lane, Barming Heath, Maidstone, Kent, opened in around 1833. Also known as the Kent County Lunatic Asylum, then renamed Oakwood Hospital

Ladywell Lodge, Lewisham, south east London
Aerial view of Ladywell Lodge, a residential institution for the elderly, near Lewisham, in south east London. The site was formerly St Olaves Union workhouse, designed by Newman & Newman

West Middlesex Hospital, Isleworth, Middlesex
The West Middlesex Hospital, originally erected as an infirmary for the Brentford Union workhouse on Twickenham Road, Isleworth

St Giles Hospital, Camberwell, London
The administrative offices of Camberwell St Giles Hospital, formerly part of the Camberwell workhouse on Havil Street, now St Giles Road, south east London

St Michaels Hospital, Aylsham, Norfolk. The building, designed by William J Donthorn, was erected in 1848-9 as the Aylsham Union Workhouse

Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield, Middlesex
Aerial view of Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield, Middlesex. The building was originally the Chase Farm Schools, opened in 1886 by the Edmonton Union to house pauper children away from the workhouse

Market Hill and former workhouse, Maldon
A view of Market Hill, Maldon, Essex. The large building at the left is the Maldon Unions former workhouse. Date: circa 1900

Pateley Bridge
A aerial view of Pateley Bridge in North Yorkshire, viewed from the west. Landmarks include the parish church (just left of centre)

Cardiff Workhouse, Cowbridge Road, Cardiff
The Cardiff Union workhouse (left) on Cowbridge Road, Cardiff. In the street are a tram, horses and carts, pedestrians and a cyclist. Date: circa 1911

Park Hospital, Davyhulme, Manchester
Aerial view of the Park Hospital at Davyhulme, Manchester, originally opened in 1929 as the workhouse hospital for the Barton Upon Irwell Poor Law Union

Mint Street Workhouse, Southwark, south London
View of the entrance (right of centre) to the St Saviours Union workhouse on Mint Street, Southwark, south London. Passers-by include a man carrying a small child

Highcroft Hall Hospital, Erdington, Birmingham
An aerial view of Highcroft Hall Hospital on Slade Road, Erdington, Birmingham. The hospital was originally opened in around 1870 as the Aston Union workhouse

Aerial view of Forest Gate Hospital, East London
An aerial view of the Forest Gate Hospital, London E7. The hospital was originally opened in 1854 by the Whitechapel Union as an industrial school for 800 children

Street in Wapping, East End of London
A view of a narrow street in Wapping, East London. A group of children are at hand to observe the proceedings

Brockhall Hospital, Langho, near Blackburn, Lancashire
Aerial view of Brockhall Hospital at Langho, near Blackburn, Lancashire, established in 1904 by the Lancashire Inebriates Acts Board as an inebriate reformatory for women

Houseless and Hungry by Luke Fildes
A study entitled Houseless and Hungry by Luke Fildes depicting homeless paupers queuing outside the casual ward of a London workhouse. A policeman stands at the left of the scene

Guiltcross Union Workhouse, Kenninghall, Norfolk
The Guiltcross Union Workhouse, designed by William Thorold, was erected in 1836-7 at Kenninghall, Norfolk. After its closure in 1902 the site was acquired by the Rev Harold Burden

Whittingham Asylum, near Preston, Lancashire
Female quarters at Whittingham Asylum, Cumeragh Lane, Goosnargh, near Preston, Lancashire. The asylum, designed by Henry Littler of Manchester, opened in 1873 as the Lancashire County Lunatic Asylum

Union Workhouse, Sleaford, Lincolnshire
An aerial view of the Sleaford Union workhouse. Designed by William J Donthorn, the building was erected in 1837-8 on East Gate in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. The site later became known as Slea View

Withington Hospital, Manchester
Entrance to Withington Hospital, Nell Lane, Manchester, opened in 1855 as Chorlton Union workhouse. A horse and carriage stands outside the gates

Union Workhouse and Infirmary, Crumpsall, Manchester
Aerial view of the Manchester Union workhouse and infirmary at Crumpsall. At the bottom of the picture can be seen the original workhouse (later Springfield Hospital) with an entrance on the right

ASC Barracks, Grove Park, Lewisham
Entrance to the ASC (Army Service Corps) Barracks on Marvels Lane, Grove Park, Lewisham, south east London. Two officers and a large dog stand at the entrance

Union Workhouse, Wantage, Oxfordshire
The Wantage Union workhouse, Oxfordshire. The workhouse, designed by Sampson Kempthorne, was erected in 1836 on Hungerford Road, Wantage, and later became the Downs Hospital

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A workhouse is a place where people who are unable to support themselves can go to live and work. It was a form of welfare in the 19th century, when the government provided poor relief for those who could not support themselves. The inmates were required to do hard labor such as stone-breaking, spinning, weaving and other manual tasks. They were also subject to harsh discipline and strict rules. Conditions in the workhouses were often very bad, with overcrowding, poor sanitation and inadequate nutrition leading to disease and death. Despite this, they provided some protection from destitution for those who had no other means of support.