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Stamford Poor Law Union

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Bibliography

  • None.

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

  • 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. The first few years, it seldom had more than 100 inmates.
  • 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.

District Population

    Year  Inhabitants
1801 11,908
1831 15,490
1851 19,775
1871 17,822
1891 17,170
1911 18,202

Staff

  • 1842: John HART, workhouse master; Jeremiah CLAPTON, clerk to the Board of Guardians.
  • 1868: Jeremiah CLAPTON, clerk to the Board of Guardians; Mrs. Elizabeth LINTON, matron.
  • 1872: Thomas LAXTON, clerk to the Board of Guardians; William Hew ROSS, master; Mrs. Sarah ROLLINSON, matron; Rev. Edward H. EVERETT, chaplain; Mrs. THISTLETON, schoolteacher; Elizabeth COLLINS, nurse.
  • 1882: Richard M. ENGLISH, clerk to the Board of Guardians; Edward LIVOCK, master; Sarah ROLLINSON, matron; Rev. Edward H. EVERETT, chaplain; Ann HAYHURST, nurse.
  • 1900: Richard Miles ENGLISH, clerk to the Board of Guardians; F. W. EVERDELL, master; Mrs. A. B. EVERDELL, matron; Rev. Edward Hawley EVERETT, chaplain.
  • 1913: Richard Miles ENGLISH, clerk to the Board of Guardians; Meaburn Staniland YOUNG, Treasurer; Rev. Edward Hawley EVERETT, chaplain; F. W. EVERDELL, master; Mrs. Annie E. WRIGHT, matron.

Richard M. ENGLISH, above, was a local Stamford-born resident. In 1881, Sarah ROLLINSON, the matron, was a Suffolk-born widow, age 60. Ann HAYHURST, the nurse, was a Lancashire lass, single, age 33.