DURING the Frome Family History Group’s meeting in May, the group were given an insight into the plight of the poor from the thirteenth century to the early twentieth century. The talk was given by Sue Simpson.
The group report, “Sue started with an outline of how the monasteries would have supported the sick and the poor moving on to the dissolution of the monasteries and the need for a system to help the needy.
“In the time of Elizabeth I poor relief had to be provided by the parish which included food, clothing and funeral expenses. Each parish was required to make sure that they only provided relief for the residents of that parish or those entitled to through the Parish Settlement Act. Poor children would often be apprenticed sometimes from as young as eight years of age. The apprenticeship lasted until they were 21.
“Baby farms were also used where the authorities would send babies to a residential nursery where they were looked after as a group as the cost was less than providing individually for each child. Many babies did not survive the poor conditions.
“In 1834 the Workhouse Act came into being which required parishes to combine together to build and finance a workhouse. Workhouses were built to several different designs to enable the inmates to be segregated and Sue came up with a very interesting fact to do with children born in the workhouse. To avoid the stigma of having the workhouse listed on the birth certificate the address 29 Weymouth Road was used. Many family historians must have been confused by this.
“We were shown pictures of sample meals and lists of occupations inmates would expect to undertake. Many workhouses became local hospitals as the need for them began to diminish at the beginning of the twentieth century. Our own workhouse in Frome became Selwood Hospital. The transition from workhouse to hospital was gradual and came about by the change of status of the inmates. They became more dependent on nursing skills as, by the start of the twentieth century, they were mostly the mentally ill or very elderly. Pensions were introduced in 1909 which meant that the elderly could contribute to the family income provided that they were of good character and over 70. Many workhouse buildings still exist as homes for the elderly, hospitals or asylums – the stigma of the possibility of entering workhouse premises still existed well into the middle of the twentieth century even if the building had long been used for another purpose.
“It was a very enjoyable evening and thanks were given to our programme secretary Sue Simpson for such a well-researched talk. Our next meeting is on 28th June when we will welcome Helen Baggott who will talk about postcards that she has researched.”
