Whittlesey Workhouse
Encyclopedia
Whittlesey Workhouse was a workhouse
in the Cambridgeshire
town of Whittlesey
. Constructed following the introduction of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, the building was situated on land then known as Bassenhally Field. Its use as a workhouse ceased in 1930, and it was demolished several years later.
Known locally as 'The Spike' because of its distinctive clock tower, the workhouse was a much-feared place. Families were segregated, with women allowed just one hour per day to spend with their children. Husbands and wives would only see each other on a Sunday when they attended St. Mary's Church, but even there they were not allowed to sit together. Passing tramps were provided with separate overnight accommodation, but were still expected to do some work, such as wood-chopping. The majority of people who entered the workhouse remained there until they died, and most of them -with the exception of one war victim- were given pauper's funerals.
In 1921 a boiler room was added at the back of the building and a bathroom installed. Bucket lavatories (situated by staircases and emptied daily) were still in use, however, and whilst education was now an option, children had to make the majority of their uniforms themselves. Records show that by the 1920s, the building was more of a hospital than a workhouse, and in 1930 it was closed. Nearby Coates
school used part of the building between June 1937 and April 1928 whilst their own was extended and renovated to cope with overcrowding.
With overcrowding an issue in Whittlesey schools too, the need for a new senior school was established. In June 1938, the Board of Education was prepared to approve plans to use the Workhouse as a school until a new one was built, but for unknown reasons it was instead demolished in 1938/39. Sir Harry Smith Community College
was built on the site in the early 1950s.
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
in the Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
town of Whittlesey
Whittlesey
Whittlesey, historically known as Whittlesea as the name of the railway station is still spelt, or Witesie, is an ancient Fenland market town around six miles east of Peterborough in the county of Cambridgeshire in England...
. Constructed following the introduction of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, the building was situated on land then known as Bassenhally Field. Its use as a workhouse ceased in 1930, and it was demolished several years later.
History
There is evidence of a workhouse in Whittlesey dating back to at least 1804, when it was located on Old Tavern Street (known today as Broad Street). This building could accommodate thirty people, the majority of whom were the elderly. The need for a new workhouse became especially evident in 1832, when unemployment in the Whittlesey area was particularly high; hence, a new one was built to house sixty people. In 1851, the Workhouse was substantially extended to house 150 people, and again in 1874 when its capacity was taken to 200. The latter cost £8000.Known locally as 'The Spike' because of its distinctive clock tower, the workhouse was a much-feared place. Families were segregated, with women allowed just one hour per day to spend with their children. Husbands and wives would only see each other on a Sunday when they attended St. Mary's Church, but even there they were not allowed to sit together. Passing tramps were provided with separate overnight accommodation, but were still expected to do some work, such as wood-chopping. The majority of people who entered the workhouse remained there until they died, and most of them -with the exception of one war victim- were given pauper's funerals.
In 1921 a boiler room was added at the back of the building and a bathroom installed. Bucket lavatories (situated by staircases and emptied daily) were still in use, however, and whilst education was now an option, children had to make the majority of their uniforms themselves. Records show that by the 1920s, the building was more of a hospital than a workhouse, and in 1930 it was closed. Nearby Coates
Coates
-People:Coates is also a prominent family of English and Scottish origin and could refer to the following people:-Families:*Coates Baronets, of Haypark, Belfast...
school used part of the building between June 1937 and April 1928 whilst their own was extended and renovated to cope with overcrowding.
With overcrowding an issue in Whittlesey schools too, the need for a new senior school was established. In June 1938, the Board of Education was prepared to approve plans to use the Workhouse as a school until a new one was built, but for unknown reasons it was instead demolished in 1938/39. Sir Harry Smith Community College
Sir Harry Smith Community College
Sir Harry Smith Community College is a secondary school in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. Opened in 1954 on the former site of the Whittlesea Workhouse, which was demolished in the 1930s, the College is named after 19th Century English Army General Sir Harry Smith who was born in Whittlesey, and whose...
was built on the site in the early 1950s.