Home > Architecture > Doors
Union Workhouse, Braintree, Essex
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Mary Evans Picture Library
Union Workhouse, Braintree, Essex
Entrance to the Braintree Union workhouse, Essex. Some of the workhouse staff are just visible in the doorway. The building, designed by William T Nash, was erected in 1837-8 on Rayne Road, Braintree. It later became St Michaels Hospital
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 4464547
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10416019
Braintree Commissioners Dickensian Door Way Essex Gates Health Hospitals Infirmary L Aw Legal Legislation Michael Nash Paupers Poor Poverty Railings Rayne Staff Status Workhouse Workhouses Designed Will I Am
FEATURES IN THESE COLLECTIONS
> Architecture
> Doors
> Architecture
> Styles
> Victorian Architecture
> Europe
> United Kingdom
> England
> Essex
> Braintree
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the entrance to the Braintree Union Workhouse in Essex, England, as it appeared around 1910. Designed by William T. Nash and erected between 1837 and 1838 on Rayne Road, the imposing building served as a place of last resort for the destitute, the sick, and the elderly during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. The workhouse system, established under the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, was intended to provide a deterrent to poverty and to encourage able-bodied paupers to seek employment. The image reveals a few members of the workhouse staff, clad in their uniforms, standing in the doorway. The building's Gothic Revival architecture, with its pointed arches, intricate railings, and ornate gate, exudes an air of somber grandeur. The workhouse, which later became St. Michael's Hospital, was a testament to the social and legal structures of the time that sought to regulate poverty and provide some measure of care for the most vulnerable members of society. The entranceway to the Braintree Union Workhouse offers a glimpse into the past, evoking memories of Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" and other works of literature that depicted the harsh realities of life in a workhouse. The image transports us back to the 1900s and 1910s, a time when the institution represented both a symbol of the state's responsibility to care for its citizens and a reminder of the harsh realities faced by those who fell on hard times.
MADE IN THE USA
Safe Shipping with 30 Day Money Back Guarantee
FREE PERSONALISATION*
We are proud to offer a range of customisation features including Personalised Captions, Color Filters and Picture Zoom Tools
SECURE PAYMENTS
We happily accept a wide range of payment options so you can pay for the things you need in the way that is most convenient for you
* Options may vary by product and licensing agreement. Zoomed Pictures can be adjusted in the Cart.
