|
| |
Gateshead Workhouse and Poor Law Union
A Workhouse was built in 1841 in Union Lane, Bensham, but quickly became overcrowded. In
1886 plans were submitted for a new workhouse, school and hospital to be built
on High Teams Farm.
The Union comprises the following parishes: Chopwell, Crawcrook, Gateshead,
Heworth, Ryton, Ryton Woodside, Stella, Whickham and Winlaton. The area of the
Union is 26,222 acres, rateable value March 1910, £783,654, and the population
in 1901 was 173,282.
The Board Day is the first Tuesday in the month at 3.30pm. The Board room and
Offices are located in the Union buildings, Prince Consort Road.
| Chairman of the Board of Guardians |
R. Affleck |
| Clerk to the Guardians and Assessment Committee |
George Craighill |
| Superintendent Registrar |
John Bovill |
The Union House, in Saltwell Lane, Bensham, about 1½ miles from the railway
station, was erected in 1889 at a cost of £40,000 and is available for over
1,000 inmates and staff. It is a structure of red brick on the pavilion
principle; attached is a hospital, together with a separate entrance building
for vagrants.
| James Scott |
Master |
| Miss Forster |
Matron |
| John Todd |
Medical Officer |
| Arthur W. Blacklock |
Assistant resident Medical Officer |
Provision was made for Infirm and Chronic cases, Isolation and Maternity Wards.
The workhouse opened in June 1890 and became known as High Teams Institution.
Under the NHS in 1948 it became Bensham General Hospital.
Records are held by Tyne and Wear Archives.
Link to A Social History of Gateshead
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DUR/GatesheadHistory/Ch5.html
Records
Durham County Records
County Hall,
Durham,
DH1 5UL
Telephone: 0191 383 3253
Durham University Library
http://www.dur.ac.uk/Library/asc/
Tyne and Wear Archives Service
http://www.thenortheast.com/archives/9_Medicine.html
Page last updated
11 March, 2008
by Rossbret
|
Gateshead Workhouse