Hartismere
 

HARTISMERE UNION 

Has its Workhouses at Eye & Wortham. That at the former place had 56, & that at the latter place had 97 inmates in 1841. The former is chiefly for the reception of able bodied poor & infants; & the latter chiefly for boys & girls, who are e,employed in making shoes, clothing etc.

These house were built in the latter part of the last century, by the parishes in which they are situated, but have been considerably altered
& enlarged since the Hundred was constituted into an Union, under the new poor law, in 1835. 

In 1779, Hartismere, Hoxne & Thredling Hundreds, were incorporated for the support of the poor; but as they never raised the sum of £16,000 required for the erection of a House of Industry, the incorporation was never carried into effect; several parishes considering it more beneficial to erect workhouses of their own. ... 

The average expenditure on the poor, during the 3 years preceding the formation of the Union, was £19,212. Their expenditure in 1838 was £9258; in 1839 £8617.11s & in 18423 £7891. 

The Guardians meet every Monday, at the Board Room, in Eye. Sir Edward Kerrison, Bart, is Chairman of the Board; & the Rev Dr Day & Mr J Kirby are vice-chairmen. Mr Charles Fisher Costerton, of Eye, is Union Clerk & Supt. Registrar; ... The Relieving officers are; Mr Charles White, for Botesdale; Mr P Hart, for eye; & Mr Anthony Gissing, for Mendlesham. The Rev Charles Notly, B D, is chaplain; & the masters & matrons of the Workhouse are; Mr John & Mrs E Thornton at Eye; & Mr S & Mrs S Helsdon at Wortham.
Source: White Directory 1844 - p 321
Submitted by Betty Longbottom

Page updated August 06, 2007 by Rossbret