Leicestershire county page

Contents

Leicestershire Towns & Parishes

Loughborough Poorlaw Union

Census

• The Poorlaw Union was the census Registration District. It made sense to use an existing political structure to manage the census.
  
  
• The 1871 census shows 142 paupers in residence.
  
  

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History

• The Loughborough Union was established by the 1834 Poorlaw Amendment Act and was formed in September, 1838.
  
  
• The Loughborough Union included 25 parishes, some of which were in Nottinghamshire. Leicestershire: Belton, Burton-on-the-Wolds, Charley (Charnwood), Cotes, Dishley-cum-ThropeAcre, Garendon, Hathern, Hoton, Knightsthorpe, Long Whatton. Loughborough, Prestwold, Shepshed, Wimeswold, Woodthorpe. Nottinghamshire: Costock or Cortlingstock, East Leake, Normanton-on-Soar, Rempstone, Stanford-on-Soar, Sutton Bonnington, Thorpe Bochart, West Leake, WIlloughby-on-the-Wolds, and Wysall.
  
  
• A Loughborough Union workhouse was erected on Derby Road in 1838 to accomodate 375 inmates.
  
  
• During the Chartist unrest in 1839 the Board of Guardians were concerned that the workhouse might be destroyed.
  
  
• A new infirmary was added in 1869.
  
  
• New Casual Wards were added in 1885.
  
  
• The Board of Guardians met on alternate Tuesdays at the Workhouse.
  
  
• After 1930, the workhouse became "Hastings House", a public assistance institution.
  
  
• In 1948, the workhouse became an old-people's home and was called "Regent Hospital".
  
  
• All the buildings have since been destroyed and the site used for new housing.
  
  

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Inventories, Registers, Catalogues

These documents can be viewed at the Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland in Wigston Magna:

• The Board of Guardians' minutes (1837-1930).
• The Loughborough Poorlaw Union Births (1838-1900).
• The Loughborough Poorlaw Union Deaths (1838-1900).
• The Loughborough Poorlaw Union Admissions and discharges (1912-18).

Remember that some records may be restricted by the 100-year closure laws and regulations, established to protect individual privacy.

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Population

These figures are the total for all the parishes of both counties in the Loughborough Poorlaw Union.

Year	Inhabitants
1831	23,580
1851	25,368
1861	24,210
1871	24,316
1881	27,883
1901	34,897
1911	36,831

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Staff

• 1849: John COATES, clerk to the Board of Guardians; John RAWSON, workhouse master; Appellina RAWSON, workhouse matron.
  
  
• 1881: John JARRATT, clerk to the Board of Guardians.
  
  
• 1912: Thomas MAYO, j.p., chairman; Alfred Walter JARRATT, clerk to the Board of Guardians; K. E. Stuart DOWLAND, treasurer; Henry Lowther HAY, workhouse master; Mrs. Edith HAY, workhouse matron; J. B. PIKE, medical officer.
  
  
• For a complete list of officers, staff and inmates in 1881, see the Peter G. Higginbotham site.
  
  

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