Louth Poor Law Union

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• After the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, the Louth Poor Law Union was formed on 12 April 1837 to serve the needs of 86 local parishes covering over 170,000 acres of land. The new Union Work House was erected in 1837 on Holme Lane on the north side of Louth, just east of Grimsby Road. It was designed to accommodate 350 inmates.
  
  
• Richard CROFT has a photograph of the Louth Workhouse on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2005.
  
  
• In 1874, a 50-bed Infirmary was added to the Workhouse complex.
  
  
• By 1882, the formation of new parishes brought the count to 90 parishes in the Union (and 93 members of the Board of Guardians).
  
  
• The Board of Guardians met every Monday.
  
  
• There were five subdistricts for the Louth Union: Withern, Louth, Binbrook, Saltfleet and Tetney.
  
  
• Much of the red brick structure still stands, including the Infirmary Building.
  
  
• Some time around 1934, the building became the Louth County Hospital, although now the street is called High Holme Road. After World War II it became Louth General Hospital and part of the NHS.
  
  
• The Lincolnshire Archives has the Louth Poor Law Union admission/discharge registers (1872-1934 with gaps); the Guardians' minute books (1837-64, 1866-1930); Births (1847-65, 1910-36); Deaths (1837-66, 1914-36); Creed registers (1869-1930 with gaps); Lunatics register (1895-1905).
  
  
• We have a portion of the Louth Union Creed Register. This is not the Admissions List for the workhouse, but provides a list of inmates and their religion.
  
  
• We also have a small text file of Louth Union births 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.
  
  

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Staff and officers

• 1842: James William WILSON, clerk.
  
  
• 1861: Charles HUDSON, master; Mrs. Mary HUDSON, matron; Rev. Albert Sydney WILDE, chaplain; Richard Bird WALTER, schoolmaster; Miss Emma BARTON, schoolmistress; John WILKINSON, porter; Mrs. Sarah TAYLOR, nurse.
  
  
• 1868: James William WILSON, clerk to the Board of Guardians; Jarvis CASTLEDINE, master; Mrs. Mary Ann CASTLEDINE, matron; Rev. Albert Sydney WILDE, chaplain; Richard Bird WALTER, schoolmaster; Mrs. Lucy WALTER, schoolmistress.
  
  
• 1872: John ILES, Chairman of the Board of Guardians; J. B. SHARPLEY and John BELL, MD, vice chairmen; James William WILSON, clerk; Rev. A. S. WILDE, chaplain; John and Mary A. CASTLEDINE, master and matron. Relieving Officers: William Richard FLINT, T. H. ANDREWS and Charles WATMOUGH. Porter Edward Wm. HOLTBY.
  
  
• 1882: James William WILSON, clerk; Rev. A. S. WILDE, chaplain; Jarvis and Mary A. CASTLEDINE, master and matron. Relieving Officers: William Richard FLINT, M. T. ANDREWS and Charles WATMOUGH, Miss Rebecca SMITH, schoolmistress.
  
  
• 1900: Rev. Canon Albert Sydney WILDE, chaplain; Charles John MYERS, medical officer; James and Alice FIELDING, master and matron; Caroline LUCAS, industrial trainer.
  
  
• 1913: Rev. Frederick FRESHNEY, Chairman of the Board of Guardians; Frank Charlton CHARD, clerk; Thos. Cheney FARFIT, treasurer; Rev. Canon Albert Sydney WILDE, chaplain; frank LAUGHTON-SMITH, MD, medical officer; James and Alice FIELDING, master and matron; Miss Mary Sophia AYRE, industrial trainer. Relieving Officers: Joseph OSBORN, George CONNINGTON and A. S. ANDREWS.
  
  

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District Population

Year	Inhabitants
1801	17,435
1831	25,214
1841	29,409
1851	33,427
1871	34,808
1881	33,835
1891	31,407
1901	28,958
1911	29,597

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Bibliography

• "Upon the Parish Rate: The story of Louth Workhouse and the paupers of East Lindsey", Bill PINDER, ISBN 0 9520117 8 6, price around £6.95.
  
  

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© 2003 EnglandGenWeb Project