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Sleaford Poor Law Union

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

  • After the Poor Law Reform Act of 1834, the Sleaford Poor Law Union was formed on 20th September 1836 to serve the needs of 56 local parishes, all within the county of Lincoln.
  • The Sleaford Poor Law Union was divided into five subdistricts: Billinghay, Heckington, Sleaford, Leadenham and Aswarby. By 1891, a major redistribution of parishes left only three subdistricts: Billinghay, Sleaford and Leadenham.
  • The new workhouse was built in 1837-8 on a site on the north side of East Gate to the north-east of Sleaford. It was built in a foreshortened cruciform layout in Tudor style. It was designed to hold 200 paupers. Capacity was later expanded to over 250.
  • The buildings have all been demolished.
  • The Board of Guardians met on alternate Mondays at 10AM.
  • In 1841, the Workhouse had 102 residents.
  • The Lincolnshire Archives has the Sleaford Poor Law Union Guardians' minute books (1836-1930); Admissions and discharges (1896-1939); Births (1914-29); Creed register (1904-40); Offences and punishment book (1914-48); etc.
  • For more on LFHS and the Lincoln Archives have on Lincolnshire Poor Law records, see our Poorhouses page.
  • For more on researching Poor Law records, see our Poor Law records list.

Census

  • In 1841, the workhouse held 102 inmates.
  • In 1891, the workhouse held 91 officers and inmates.

District Population

    Year  Inhabitants
1801 13,370
1831 19,905
1841 23,233
1851 24,557
1861 24,919
1871 25,834
1881 25,720
1891 23,858
1901 23,727
1911 24,910

Officials and Employees

In 1842:

  • Charles CHAPLIN, Chairman of the Board of Guardians
  • Charles CLEMENTS of Sleaford, Union Clerk and Superintendent Registrar
  • Thomas JOHNSON of Scopwick, Registrar of Marriages
  • Richard WARD, Master of the Workhouse
  • T. JOHNSON (above), Relieving Officer
  • J. TOMLINSON of Sleaford, Relieving Officer
  • C. S. EVANS of Helpringham, Relieving Officer
  • Rev. Henry MANTON, Chaplain

In 1872:

  • Rev. John PEACOCK of Wellingore, Chairman of the Board of Guardians
  • Chas. J. B. PARKER of Swineshead, Vice-Chairman of the Board
  • Edmund CLEMENTS of Sleaford, Union Clerk and Superintendent Registrar
  • George D. PENNELL of Sleaford, Registrar of Marriages
  • William STENNETT of Billinghay, Registrar of Marriages
  • Joseph and Jane MORRIS, Master and Matron of the Workhouse
  • Rev. Richard YERBURGH, Chaplain
  • Benjamin MESSENGER, Schoolmaster
  • Annie COPELAND, Schoolmistress
  • Robert George BREWSTER, Porter
  • Thomas John TOMLINSON of Sleaford, Relieving Officer
  • William STENNETT (above), Relieving Officer
  • Lawrence Stephen CASTLEDINE of Heckington, Relieving Officer

In 1900:

  • William Taylor DIXON of Ashby de la Lunde, Chairman of the Board of Guardians
  • Edmund CLEMENTS of Sleaford, Union Clerk
  • Major-General William Wilson MILDMAY of Sleaford, Treasurer
  • Charles William JACKSON of Ruskington, Relieving Officer
  • William HIPKIN of Sleaford, Relieving Officer
  • Rev. Alfred LANGDON, Chaplain
  • Charles Frederick BEDFORD, medical officer
  • Joseph and Jane MORRIS, master and matron
  • Miss Jane MORRIS, assistant matron

In 1913:

  • Seth Ellis DEAN of Threckingham, Chairman of the Board of Guardians
  • Edmund CLEMENTS of Sleaford, Union Clerk and Superintendent Registrar
  • Frederick Arden PEACOCK of Sleaford, Treasurer
  • Charles William JACKSON of Ruskington, Relieving Officer
  • Frederick HIPKIN of Sleaford, Relieving Officer
  • Arthur and Agnes PARKER, Master and Matron of the Workhouse
  • Miss Elizabeth SHARMAN, Assistant Matron
  • Rev. Alfred LANGDON, Chaplain