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Norfolk: Poor Law after 1834 Act

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Ely Union (in Cambridgeshire)

The Norfolk parish of Redmere (or Redmore) joined this Union in 1866. In 1895 it became part of the "Isle of Ely" and then in 1933 part of the parish of Littleport (also in this Union).

Union history

  • 1836 - Union created.
  • 1837 - workhouse located at Cambridge Road, Ely, CB7 4HP, [Map reference is TF533799]
  • 1866 - Redmere joined.
  • By 1883 - "Ely College" and "Grunty Fen" have also joined.
  • 1940's - Called Tower House Hospital
  • 1990's - closed and redeveloped as "Tower Court"


Ely Union
Places in Norfolk
Redmere (from 1866)
[Previously in Thetford Union]

Ely Union
Places in
Cambridgeshire
Coveney
Downham
Ely St. Mary
Ely Trinity
Haddenham
Littleport
Mepal
Ely Union
Places in
Cambridgeshire
Stretham
Thetford
Wentworth
Wilburton
Witcham
Witchford

Description of the Union - Gardner's 1851 Cambridgeshire

This comes from pages 481 and 482 of this Gazetteer.

The Ely Poor Law Union, embraces an area of 128 square miles, and comprehends the following 14 parishes, viz.-

Coveney, Downham, Ely St. Mary, Ely Trinity, Haddenham, Littleport, Mepal, Stretham, Thetford, Wentworth, Wilburton, Witcham, and Witchford.

The Union Workhouse is a large white brick building faced with cut stone, situate on a slight eminence, about half a mile south west from Ely, on the Cambridge road. It was erected in 1837-8 at a cost of about £9000., and will accommodate 340 inmates. The average number of paupers for the year 1849 was about 200, and the average weekly expense of each pauper for food and clothing, 2s. 6d. Of the board of guardians, Wm. Layton, Esq., (Soham,) is chairman ; Chas. Mosely, Esq., vice-chairman, and Wm. Marshall, Esq., clerk. The Rev. S. Smith is chaplain, and the medical officers are John Muriel, Esq., for the workhouse, George Cole, Esq. Trinity district, Thomas Stead Jones, Esq., St. Mary's district, Wright Laxton, Esq., Littleport district, John C. Davie, Esq., Haddenham district, and William B. Butler, Esq., Sutton district. Mr. William Henry Boughen, is workhouse master, and Mrs. Boughen, matron.


Further information can be found:


See also the Poor Law page and the Post 1834 Unions page

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Copyright © Mike Bristow.
November 2014