Genealogy Chat

Hi I recieved a death cert this morning and found out that my g g g gran died in a Birmingham Workhouse in 1906, age 74 I feel really sad for her because I think she had a really hard life, as they all did then, widowed youngish, 10 kids etc - usual story and then to die in a workhouse seems so sad. Anyhow, am I just thinking the worst of the workhouse? Were they places that the elderly sick went to be looked after when families couldnt cope? If I go all the way to Birmingham to search for the records will it tell me anything useful? Would there be a photo? Sorry for so many questions! Many Thanks Mandy XXX

workhouse records vary from place to place i fgound you dont often find photos but usually date of admission and list of possesions health etc even death details burial etc tracey

I'd check up first if they have any surviving records. The ones I'm interested in (not Birmingham) were all destroyed.

Thanks Tracey and Vicky. That's been helpful, I will contact Brimgham City archives and see if they have them there first. Mandy XX

You may come across a beurocratic problem. One of my relatives died in a workhouse in 1908. His full file is in the local archives, photographs, the lot. They won't release it ,under the 100 year rule, so I have to wait another 2 years, despite requesting permission in writing from the area health authority. Ian

Oh No !!!!!!!!

Mandy - try this site, you will be able to view the actual workhouse and see some records workhouses.org.uk

Thank you Stella. XXX

Mandy, I just wanted to thank you for starting this thread. Because of it, Stella mentioned the workhouse site (which I had been on before looking at the Southwark Workhouse where my grandad was born), but I had never looked at the part of the site dealing with Birmingham Workhouse. Because I'm naturally nosey, decided to have a look, and lo and behold there is a picture on there of a workhouse 'token', issued in 1812, which was issued to the poor which could be exchanged for food etc. I couldn't believe it, as I have one of these tokens, exactly the same, same year too - 1812 - which I've had for years and was probably given it by my mother at some time. Haven't a clue where it came from as we have no connection to Birmingham Workhouse at all. Nice to know though, that I've got something thats very nearly 200 years old. Kath. x

That's fantastic Kath - how exciting!