GENUKI: Stamford Poor Law Union, LIN

Stamford Poor Law Union

Snowdens Hospital in Scotgate was founded in 1604 for seven poor widows, rebuilt in 1823 and refurbished in the 1970's for three widows. It's now an architect's office.
In the 1700s, Almshouses were established at Stamford Scotgate in St. John's parish. These were known as Truesdale's Hospital. In 1831, the almshouses were extended to hold 8 poor men. In 1832, the original hospital was replaced by twelve almshouses.
As a result of the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, 36 Stamford-area parishes became part of the Stamford Poor Law Union (which was officially formed in 1836). Some of the parishes are outside of Lincolnshire in Northampton and Rutland. The new Union Workhouse was opened on Ryhall Road in St. Martin Stamford Baron parish in May, 1837, with accommodation for 300 people. To read more about this facility, see the Peter Higganbotham website.
There are no death registers for Stamford Workhouse.
The Stamford Poorlaw Union sent many of their lunatic cases to the Northampton Lunatic Asylum.
Stamford Union's Bastardy records would be covered by the Kesteven Quarter Sessions. There are no bastardy documents for individual Stamford Union parishes.
For more on what the LFHS and the Lincoln Archives have on Lincolnshire Poor Law records, see our Poorhouses page.
We also have a small text file of Stamford Union minutes, 1838-1842 you can review (and add to!).
For more on researching Poor Law records, see our Poor Law records list.

[Last updated: 14-October-2007 - Louis R. Mills]