Greenwich

Greenwich

Greenwich Workhouse and Poor Law Union

The Parishes of Deptford, Greenwich and Woolwich were united into one poor law union under the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, and called the Greenwich Union. A new Union Workhouse was built on a 5 acre site, where Woolwich Road met Green Lane (Vanbrugh Hill), costing £25,000 and designed to hold 1200 inmates. It was a three storey building with an almshouse like appearance, and was a large institution as it was located in a highly populated area.
The Greenwich Parish Workhouse located off Maidenstone Hill, continued in use until 1840.

Rose Mary LLOYDS (nee HARRIS) was left at Greenwich workhouse in 1913 age 2 years, she spent 2 years in an isolation hospital - The PARK hospital, Hither Green - and via the workhouse was transferred to the Hollies children's home in Sidcup Kent by Greenwich Board of Guardians.
In later years she wrote a story of part of her life, and her time at the Hollies make interesting and sad reading. I thought it might interest people to read her story, as the life she led would have been typical of workhouse and institutions, her story can be found at http://www.umilta.net/rose.html
Submitted by Georgina Peacock

Records

London Metropolitan Archives
40 Northampton Road,
London
EC1R 0HB

Corporation of London Record Office
PO Box 270,
Guildhall,
London
EC2P 2EJ

City of Westminster Archives Centre
10 St Ann's Street,
London SW1P 2DE
Telephone: (020) 7641 5180

Page updated August 06, 2007