Almondbury Workhouse, Kaye Lane, Almondbury

Situated on land at the corner of Kaye Lane and Wheat Royd Lane, the Almondbury Workhouse provided poor relief to the Township of Almondbury for around a century.

History

Also referred to a "poorhouse", it pre-dated the formation of the Huddersfield Poor Law Union in the 1830s and was likely opened in the 1760s.[1] Due to local opposition to the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, existing local workhouses and poorhouses remained in use and there was strong resistance to the building of a large single workhouse for the entire Poor Law Union area.

In October 1838, a "tumultuous" meeting of Almondbury rate-payers was held at the Woolpack Inn "for the purpose of inquiring into the character and conduct of Mr. Joseph Dean, governor of the workhouse". After a rowdy three hours of debate, a motion "that Mr. J. Dean do resign his situation" was carried but then subsequently defeated when "Mr. Dean's friends then demanded a poll" which saw a 34 vote majority "in favour of Mr. Dean continuing his situation". The Leeds Times ended their coverage of the meeting by noting that "much murmuring and dissatisfaction prevail, and it is reported that another meeting will be called".[2]

In November 1839, the Huddersfield Board of Guardians advertised for a new "master and matron" for the Almondbury Workhouse at combined salary of £30 per annum.[3] Despite the advert, Joseph Dean[4] and his wife Sarah[5] remained the master and matron until the workhouse's closure in 1862.

At the time of the 1841 Census, 55 paupers were listed at the workhouse, including 22 under the age of 18. In 1851 and 1861, there were 41 and 38 inmates respectively. By the time of the latter, a cook (Mary Webster) and two servants (Hannah Haigh and Sarah Littlewood) were working alongside the Deans.

According to an inspection report from 1850, the workhouses at Golcar, Honley and Almondbury contained "but one yard to each, and no separation of the male from the female inmates can possibly be had". It was also noted that children at those workhouses, and also at the Kirkheaton workhouse, "sleep in bed-rooms occupied by adult paupers; and in one, if not more instances, children and adults occupy, or have occupied the same beds". The report went on to state the following:[6]

ALMONDBURY WORKHOUSE.

There is a young girl in this workhouse, Sarah Ann Broadbent, about twelve years old, who does not go to school on working days with the other children.

The visiting committee visit this workhouse occasionally only.

The number of inmates has occasionally exceeded the proper number to be admitted during the last six months.

Due separation of the children from the adults is not observed; girls sleep in the same room with women, and boys in the same room with men.

Some of the inmates employed in household work get an allowance of beer occasionally, with the written recommendation of the medical officer, contrary to article 108. Inmates smoke in some of the rooms also without the special direction of the medical officer. The medical officer does not examine all paupers on their admission, according to article 91.

The medical relief book is not laid before the Guardians at their ordinary meetings, and it is not correctly kept in all respects; the apparent cause of death of inmates dying in the house is not recorded.

The Master does not make a return to the Guardians in the form II, according to article 208, No. 25.

By 1857, it was reported that the workhouse could accommodate 48 people and a proposal was considered by the Board of Guardians to expand the accommodation to 125, "if [extra] land can be obtained".[7]

By the late 1850s, pressure was growing on the Huddersfield Board of Guardians from the Poor Law Commission in London to close the old township poorhouses. Of particular concern was the inability to separate the various classifications of inmates, such as those with mental health problems. By 1861, construction had begun on the new Deanhouse Workhouse at Netherthong which would accommodate around 200 inmates, including those from the Almondbury area.

In November 1861, Mr. Wilkes ("Commissioner in Lunacy") visited the Huddersfield area workhouses and reported the following:[8]

ALMONDBURY WORKHOUSE.

Of the 45 paupers now in this workhouse 11 are of unsound mind, 5 males and 6 females. The accommodation afforded to the ordinary inmates (with whom the weak-minded are mixed) is of the poorest description, and quite unfit for the latter class. The rooms are small and over-crowded, gloomy, and badly furnished, more especially those used by the men. There are no means of classification, and the yard into which the men's rooms open is used as a drying ground. The inmates generally, with few exceptions, are placed to sleep two in a bed. In one room 10 persons sleep in 6 beds, and in another 9 in 5 beds. The practice of placing the male patients in double beds was recommended to be discontinued at the last visit, in June, 1857. The bed-rooms are over-crowded and the ventilation bad. If some arrangements cannot be made to give the men separate beds, I think it is the duty of the Guardians to remove them. to the Asylum. I am informed that a new workhouse is in progress, and it is to be hoped that no time will be lost in completing it.

Sarah Booth is so troublesome and dirty in her habits that she is quite unfit to be kept here. Luke Bailey is subject to severe attacks of epilepsy, and on several occasions he has injured himself, and at the time of my visit had a recent wound over the left eye. Both of these patients, as also William Leech and Hannah Lindley, should be removed to the Asylum.

I recommend all the weak-minded patients to be placed on extra diet, to be sent out regularly for walks in the country, and to be supplied with some amusing books.

Following the closure of the workhouse in 1862, a subcommittee of the Huddersfield Board of Guardians visited the site for the purpose of establishing whether or not it could be converted into a small hospital:[9]

We, the undersigned, having been appointed a committee to inspect and report upon the Almondbury Work- house, have this 6th day of July, 1863. along with the medical officers of the district, examined the same, and beg to present the subjoined report:—

The establishment is situate at the foot of Chapel Hill, perfectly isolated from other dwellings, and in the immediate vicinity of excellent springs of pure water. The building consists of two parts, one which may, for convenience of description, be styled the workhouse proper — a large and substantial structure; and the other a few dilapidated old buildings originally used as almshouses, but now from decay in no condition to be available for dormitories, but which with a trifling expenditure might be rendered serviceable as sitting rooms for convalescents. The whole is enclosed within a spacious yard bounded by a high limed wall. The privy accommodation is very good, as also is the drainage. We shall speak now more particularly of that portion above named—

Workhouse proper: Kitchen light, airy, and commodious, containing in cubic feet 4,400.

Back kitchen or wash and brewhouse same size as the above.

One convenient and comfortable sitting-room and bedroom for master and matron.

Women's sleeping-room No 1, containing 1,092 cubic feet. This would allow of four beds. with 273 cubic feet of atmospheric air to each, in case of a non infectious disease, or three beds with 364 cubic feet to each bed in the case of an infectious disorder.

Women's sleeping room No. 2, containing 2,940 cubic feet, allowing of 490 cubic feet to each bed for six beds, or over 352 feet to eight beds.

Men's sleeping-room No. 1. containing 1,392 cubic feet, which would accommodate five beds with over 278 cubic feet to each, or four beds with 348 cubic feet to each bed.

Men's sleeping-room No. 2. containing in cubic feet 2,816, which would allow of eight beds with 352 cubic feet to each, or six with 436 to each bed.

The whole of the above are in very good condition, and ready for immediate reception. We would suggest that the men's sleeping-room No. 2, which at present is entered from the outside of the building, should be made to communicate with men's sleeping-room No. 1, through the inner wall, the present doorway being converted into a window. The wards are well lighted and well ventilated. The overseers who are present are willing to let the house upon the previous terms, though we are of opinion a little less rent might be offered and accepted. The place might be made available as a fever hospital, as a lying-in hospital, as syphilitic wards, or as an institution for the reception of convalescents. With a view of proving incontestably the value of the workhouse in a sanitary point of view, we have only to mention the fact that within a period of 30 years, during which time the establishment was under the management of Mr. Dean, but five cases of infectious diseases have been known within its walls.

In October 1865, the Board of Guardians backed a decision to sell the workhouse.[10] The land and property was subsequently sold in 1875 by the "overseers for the township of Almondbury" to Sir John William Ramsden for £250:[11]

Thus there is a prospect of these unsightly buildings being removed, and the value of them being utilised. The amount received will be invested, and the income therefrom will be appropriated to the relief of the poor in the township of Almondbury, the trustees being the trustees of the Almondbury Poor Charity, and the income will be administered by them.

The death of Joseph Dean in 1878 was reported in the Huddersfield Examiner:[12]

On Monday last, Mr. Joseph Dean, registrar of births and deaths for the district of Almondbury, died at Almondbury at the advanced age of eighty-two. Mr. Dean had filled several posts with credit to himself and satisfaction to those with whom he was brought into contact. In 1832 Mr. Dean and his wife were appointed master and matron of Almondbury Workhouse. This post they held under the Vestry Act, and then under the Poor Law Amendment Act until the closing of the workhouse in 1862. The appointment of registrar was given to Mr. Dean on the 18th of February, 1838, and was held by him up to the time of his decease. In June, 1839, Mr. Dean was appointed assistant overseer for Almondbury, and after discharging the duties of the post for twenty years, he resigned the office in 1859 on account of failing health. Three years before this time, i.e. in 1856, he was appointed agent to the trustees of Nettleton's and Wormall's Charities, and assisted in the distribution of the grants of these charities. Mr. Dean held this post up to the time of his death, and also that of agent for the estate of the late B. N. R. Batty, Esq. Mr. Dean was highly respected by all who had dealings with him. His death will be deeply felt by those who knew him best.

Location

Notes and References

  1. According to one newspaper article, the Almondbury Workhouse was initially owned by a charity "and the title is shown by the deeds of 1762". "Board of Guardians" in Huddersfield Chronicle (10/Mar/1866).
  2. "Huddersfield: Almondbury" in Leeds Times (20/Oct/1838).
  3. "Public Notices" in Sheffield Iris (19/Nov/1839).
  4. Born circa 1796 at Gomersal.
  5. Born locally in Almondbury.
  6. "The Present Workhouse Accommodation of the Huddersfield Union" in Huddersfield Chronicle (18/May/1850).
  7. "Board of Guardians" in Huddersfield Chronicle (12/Sep/1857).
  8. "Meeting of the Board of Guardians, Yesterday" in Huddersfield Chronicle (26/Jan/1861).
  9. "The Action of the Huddersfield Section of the Board of Guardians: Improved Hospital Accommodation" in Huddersfield Chronicle (18/Jul/1863).
  10. "Board of Guardians" in Huddersfield Chronicle (21/Oct/1865).
  11. "Almondbury: The Old Poorhouse" in Huddersfield Examiner (14/Aug/1875).
  12. "Death of an Octogenarian" in Huddersfield Examiner (02/Nov/1878).