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Union Workhouse, Orsett, Essex
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Union Workhouse, Orsett, Essex
The Union workhouse at Orsett, Essex. The building, designed by Sampson Kempthorne, was erected in 1827. It later became Orsett Hospital
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Media ID 4464887
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10416099
1820s 1827 Essex Health Homeless Homelessness Kempthorne L Aw Legislation Orsett Pauper Paupers Poor Poverty Sampson Workhouse Workhouses
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the imposing presence of the Union Workhouse at Orsett, Essex, a building that once stood as a symbol of both charity and punishment for the destitute and vulnerable in Victorian and Edwardian England. Designed by architect Sampson Kempthorne and completed in 1827, the workhouse was a product of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, which aimed to provide a more efficient and cost-effective system for housing and caring for the poor. The building's stark, utilitarian design reflects the legislative intent behind its creation, with its high walls, barred windows, and spartan living quarters intended to discourage potential residents from entering its gates. By the early 1900s, however, the role of the workhouse had begun to evolve, with an increasing emphasis on medical care and rehabilitation. The building became Orsett Hospital, providing essential healthcare services to the local community. In the 1910s, the workhouse's imposing facade concealed a bustling hub of medical activity, with nurses and doctors working tirelessly to care for the sick and the homeless. Despite the changes that took place within its walls, the Union Workhouse at Orsett remains a powerful reminder of a bygone era, a time when poverty and homelessness were seen as social problems to be contained and managed rather than addressed through comprehensive social welfare programs. This photograph offers a glimpse into the past, inviting us to reflect on the history of social welfare and the evolution of our approach to caring for those in need.
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