Brighton

Brighton

Brighton Incorporation

Brighton Incorporation was formed under an Act of Parliament (6 Geo. 4, c.179)

The Workhouse is very large, with 300 inmates.
John Bartlett, governor;
Mrs Bartlett, matron;
Richard Rugg esq, surgeon.
Source: Post Office 1846 - p 606
Submitted by Betty Longbottom

Inmates

Workhouses, List of those visited in 1867 With Name of the Workhouse and numbers of insane, idiotic, and imbecile inmates.

WORKHOUSE	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL
Brighton	8	12	20

Source: 22nd Report of the Commissioners in Lunacy to the Lord Chancellor. Submitted by Alan Longbottom.

1 Sale of the Brighton Workhouse Estate
7th March 1868

The most valuable portion of the old workhouse site has been sold by auction. The ground being restricted to the erection of villas, the salerooms were well attended by both private and speculating purchasers, the latter predominating; and, with the exception of three lots out of twenty submitted, comprising 38 plots, the whole was knocked down to "the trade."

This was the only opportunity of obtaining land for villas in the centre of the town and away from the bustle of business. The situation is about the highest point of Brighton, commanding a view of the sea, the Downs, and the town; it is in close proximity to the railway and parish church; and abuts on to one of the principal pleasure rides and drives in the borough, namely the Dyke-road. The sales were all bona-fide, the reserved price being exceeded in each case, and the aggregate amount realized was £1,000 above the estimated value. The principal lot in the sale is situated at the corner of Dyke Road, where the latter is intersected by Buckingham Road and Powis Grove..... The first offer was £650, and after some lively bidding in £10 advances, Mr George Attree, auctioneer of North Street became the purchaser at £800.... The total amount realized was £12,125, being nearly £3,000 over the sum obtained in either of the two previous sales. By the 1st sale £8,755 was obtained, and £9,465 by the 2nd; making an aggregate, with £1,179, for the old buildings, of £31,524, already realised for this land, verifying the calculations made by the guardians, that the parish would get its new workhouse for nothing; and the land is not yet all disposed of.
Source: The Builder 1868 Vol XXVI .
7th March 1868
Submitted by Alan Longbottom

An article by Tony McKendrick-Warden on the subject of Brighton Pavilion being used as a hospital for wounded Indian soldiers in the period late 1914 to early 1916.
He also mentions that the Brighton old Workhouse was re-named the Kitchener Hospital and initially provided 1,500 beds rising to 2,000 by July 1915.
This caused major problems in the town, as the 1,200 inmates of the workhouse had to be billetted elsewhere, many of them in large private houses. This was much to the chagrin of the occupants who were politely assured that they weren't infectious cases.
Source: Picture Postcard Monthly July 1902 pages 18-20
Submitted by Alan Longbottom

Records

The East Sussex Record Office
The Maltings
Castle Precinct
Lewes
East Sussex
BN7 1YT
Tel: (01273) 482349

Brighton Records
see R/C9/1-9, 26; R/S10-43, 48, 65; HB 68-71, 74-75, 77, 103, 117; EMA 25/1
Source: Submitted by East Sussex Record Office

Page updated August 18, 2007

Important update:
The domain workhouses.co.uk is being phased out on the website and all institutions will fall under the domain institutions.org.uk If you have any links to the site using the workhouses.co.uk please amend these as they will not work as the domain is phased out. The domain workhouses.co.uk is for sale, if you would like to purchase it please email me at alex@alexross.co.uk