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View Full Version : Never seen this before

Terri
04-04-10, 10:13
I don't suppose it's unique, and I'm trying to figure out how this might have occurred.

Father in the workhouse, while his wife and children ........... aren't!
Merry
04-04-10, 10:31
Because he was ill?
Terri
04-04-10, 10:43
Suppose ...... There's nothing in the "disabled" column of the census, but he was 55, guess that was quite elderly in those days.

I've not come across it before - I've got widows galore in workhouses, plus a few widowers.

Somehow, this seems a whole lot sadder! His wife isn't mentioned as a pauper and there are 2 adult children at home, one of ind. means. Perhaps he was estranged from the family for some reason.
Olde Crone
04-04-10, 10:48
Terri

but you can only be certain that he was in the workhouse for one night.

As Merry says, he was probably ill, the workhouse served as the only hospital in those days.

OC
Merry
04-04-10, 10:52
He might have been picked up drunk outside and taken in for the night! As OC says, he might have only been there for one night - you can't tell without further investigation.
garstonite
04-04-10, 10:53
He might have been picked up drunk outside and taken in for the night! As OC says, he might have only been there for one night - you can't tell without further investigation.

his names not Oakes is it.....lol....one of mine....allan:d
Terri
04-04-10, 10:59
Yes, true enough! I'm going for Worst Case Scenario here.

I don't suppose the order they appear on the census has any bearing, does it?? As it's not in alphabetical order and he's top of the list!

It's off for another (probably fruitless!) search for his death (which is how I found him in the workhouse in the first place!)
Merry
04-04-10, 11:03
Most disagreeable inmate?! lol
Terri
04-04-10, 11:04
I was thinking more "just rolled in the door"!:d
Rachel
04-04-10, 11:36
I'd not thought that people might just arrive for the odd night's rest !

I have this in 1911 and assumed life was now a total disaster

Wife at home alone, working as a Dressmaker for a Ladies Outfitter
Husband ~ an inmate of the local Workhouse
Only daughter (23) ~ in an Epileptic Colony
Only son (19) ~ in a Church Army Labour House

so maybe the husband and son were only absent temporarily :confused:
Jill
04-04-10, 11:47
Your relative may have been admitted to the workhouse infirmary if there was no local hospital. Mother in law remembered that her granny ended her days there when she became too ill to be nursed at home.