Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Birkenhead workhouse (now st caths hospital)

Just been looking at workhouses.org.uk
And on there 1881 Census: Residents of Birkenhead Union Workhouse
If they have a handicap they name it
Now looking in the list there are some blind or dumb but there are also a lot of imbeciles. Now I just take that as being an idiot and not a handicap but a lot further down the list there is a Wm. Geo. WARREN and his handicap is in fact idiot
Also a couple of lunatics mentioned
Oh how times have changed

Here are the links http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Birkenhead/Birkenhead1881.shtml
And
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Birkenhead/


Birkenhead south-east hospital pavilions from the south, c.1906.
This is on church rd with St catherines church in the background
Very interesting site

The original building{Once St caths aka workhouse}Was much nicer than the eyesore they have in the grounds now.Alot of history also.

Did you see 'Secrets of the Workhouse' ITV Wales? Two parts, yesterday and today both at 3pm. for an hour each.
My goodness ,how sad. Things did eventually move forward to Dr. Barnardo's for the children, but then they were sent out to Australia, never to be returned.
So very many cruel cases, but at the time I suppose they were doing what they could. No benefits of course and they could at least get medical help in the workhouses if needed. Otherwise there was none for the poor.

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week26/secrets-workhouse#.Usc3XrnuMcA

Thanks for this Granny,looks interesting

What you have to remember is that it wasn't just a workhouse but only a "hospital" available to poor people pre NHS. The amount of people whose place of death is 56 Church road, Tranmere on death certificates is one of those things that crop up on family history sites on a regular basis. Quite often people are horrified to find out it was the workhouse but as stated, quite often they just died of natural causes in the only "hospital" available to them.

I disagree that the present building is worse than the old one. The old one looked like a workhouse as I can imagine, but the new one is modern and looks a lot better.

My only worry is that this lot would have us going back to the "good old days" of the workhouse or hospital for the poor!

The new one is lovely on the inside, reflecting modern healthcare and times. Glad I have lots of pics of inside the old St Caths though.

that clears up a birth in my family search, didnt know it was 56 church rd......my question is due to the many deaths during this time, were there any facility's for buriels on this site, as in paupers graves or were the bodies shipped out locally.....

The buildings called the pavilions - were the wards of the workhouse hospital - the Workhouse itself was the building set back between these buildings and the church (St Caths) in the distance.