Maldon Union Workhouses In 1601 the first poor law was passed  with the become that materials should be bought to provide work for the able bodies and that housing should be built for those unable to care for themselves. Ammendations to the Poor law were passed from time to time although there seemed to be a general acceptance amongst parishes that there should be some provision for the poor and incapable. In most Parishes accommodations was provided although some Parishes provided financial assistance for people to be housed elsewhere In 1777 Parliament commissioned a survey of poor relief which showed that Workhouses had been established in the Parishes of Burnham, Purleigh, Southminster, Steeple, Stow Maries and Tillingham.  Bradwell on Sea,  and Latchingdon also had workhouses but these appeared to have opened after 1777. Bannister Cottage is believed to be the location of the workhouse in Woodham Walter that was in operation about 1809. Blue House in Waterside Road was the location of the Bradwell on Sea workhouse. The old Queens Head Public House was the workhouse at Purleigh. Until it closed in 1860 ,Southminster Poor House stood on a site that is now used by the Primary School. In some cases these workhouses were comparatively substantial with the Burnham workhouse offering 24 places  whereas Steeple offered just 6 places. The larger workhouses would have an overseer although some of the smaller would have a local person with responsibilities including supervision of the inmates. All able bodied inmates including children would be expected to carry out work in exchange for accommodation and board with any takings being set against the expense of maintaining the workhouse. In 1831 the Government condcuted a thorough review of Workhouses which gives us a picture of our area. The costs against population are interesting . Some like Creeksea allocate only about 40 pence per person whilst others like nearby Asheldham allocate over £2 per person. The costs related to the number of people in care, cost of medication etc. In 1831 the sums of money involved to support the poor were considerable to a generally poor population. Dengie 100 Parishes within the Maldon Union Parish Population Money in £ expended on the poor Number of elected guardians Althorne 352 296 1 Asheldham 144 298 1 Bradwell on Sea 956 639 1 Burnham on Crouch 1393 1046 2 Cold Norton 216 109 1 Creeksea 154 57 1 Dengie 249 383 1 Hazeleigh 119 137 1 Latchingdon 229 275 1 North Fambridge 148 77 1 Mayland 226 264 1 Mundon 272 283 1 Purleigh 1044 897 1 Southminster 1442 1142 2 St Lawrence 182 185 1 Steeple 497 350 1 Stow Maries 242 287 1 Tillingham 970 573 1 Woodham Mortimer 339 164 1 Woodham Walter 538 363 1   In 1834 The Poor Law Amendment Act was passed which required  Parishes to group together and provide a workhouse. To deter people from taking advantage of the ' generosity a deliberately harsh regime was encouraged with the provision of basic accommodation and a basic diet large enough to sustain life of the inmates. The Original Maldon Workhouse at Market Hill   In this area the Maldon Union Workhouse was formed  to represent all of the parishes in the District. Initially the existing Maldon workhouse on Market Hill was extended and used for able bodies men whilst the aged, ill ,women and children were houses at the three other larger parish workhouses including Purleigh and Burnham on Crouch .The remaining parish workhouses were returned to private ownership. Even after 1834 support to the poor in Parishes continued often due to local benefactors. An example of this was Wm. Ayletts of Althorne who established a charity fund for the poor that in 1863 gave £1.18 shillings to the poor which for the time was a considerable sum. In 1861 the Government surveyed workhouses for the number of paupers who had resided there for five years or more. In the case of Maldon there were 26 such paupers, 4 of which had lived for over 20 years at the workhouse and half had lived for over 10 years. The causes of this prolonged stay were given as :- Infirmity 12 paupers - Lameness 3 Paupers - Paralysis 1 pauper - Sickness 3 paupers - Illegitimate children  2 paupers - Blindness 2 paupers - Unsound mind 2 paupers - Idiotcy 1 pauper. The existing buildings provided much to small to deal and in 1872/1873 a new and very distinctive workhouse was built in Spital Road, Maldon. This building subsequently became St Peters Hospital at the birth of the national Health Service.

The 1881 census provides details of the 114 occupants of the new Workhouse. Residents with birthplaces in Eastern Essex are listed below

to visit a page listing the officials of the Maldon Union from 1846 to 1869

to visit a page listing the Guardians of the Maldon Union in 1911

to visit a page listing items from the records of Maldon Workhouse 1895-1930

to visit a page describing the history of the Poor Laws and highlighting the case of Jane Harris

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