HALIFAX WORKHOUSE

 

In 1635, Charles I granted Halifax a charter to set up a workhouse and managing committee. Nathaniel Waterhouse gave a large house to the town for the purpose. Most of the inmates were contracted out as hired labour. In 1777 a parliamentary report showed local workhouses in operation at Elland with Greetland , Halifax, Hipperholme with Brighouse, Midgley, Norland, Ovenden, Northowram, Southowram, Soyland, Stainland and Warley with a total of over 500 inmates.

 

Eden, in his 1797 survey of the poor in England, reported of Halifax that: 89 paupers are in the workhouse, an old small, inconvenient building. 42 are under 12, 20 under 6, and one-third of the whole number are lunatic. The women and children spin worsted. Some of the men are employed in the town. Those who work out of doors, in the kitchen or other house business, are allowed butchers' meat for dinner every day in the week, others have meat dinners on Sundays and Thursdays; children have pudding instead of boiled meat. The dinners on other days are potatoes, butter and milk or beer with a slice of bread, or broth and cold meat with bread and beer. Breakfast is usually hasty pudding, boiled milk and bread, or broth and bread. Working people receive a pint of beer each at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Those who have been used to tobacco have ½lb. a month; snuff takers, ½lb. a month. Women are allowed to spin to purchase tea.

 

Halifax Poor Law Union was officially formed on 10th February 1837. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of 31 Guardians representing its 19 constituent parishes/townships as listed below (figures in brackets indicate numbers of Guardians): Barkisland, Clifton with Hartishead [Hartshead], Elland with Greetland (2), Fixby, Halifax (5), Hipperholme with Brighouse (2), Midgley, Norland, Northowram (2), Ovenden (2), Rastrick, Rishworth, Shelf, Skircoat, Southowram (2), Sowerby (2), Soyland, Stainland and Old Lindley, Warley(2).   Later Additions (all from 1894): Luddenden Foot, Norwood Green and Coley, Queensbury, Sowerby Bridge, Upper Greetland. Pigot's Directory of 1828-9 records that the Halifax workhouse stood on Upper Kirkgate, with Elizabeth Casson as its matron.

 

The Board of Guardians held their first meeting on 17th February, 1837, at the Trustees Office in Cheapside, Halifax. Those in attendance were:  George Buckston Browne,  Jonathan Akroyd,  George Whiteley,  Joseph Nicholson,  James Hoatson (representing Halifax);  John Stott jnr.,  Abraham Pitchforth (Elland Cum Greetland);  John Wilson (Ovenden);  Matthew Paterson,  Thomas Barker (Southowram);  John Holland,  Joshua Butterworth (Hipperholme Cum Brighouse);  Thomas Oldfield,  Samuel Smith (Warley); Mr, John Foster,  Robert Stansfeld (Sowerby);  William Armytage (Clifton Cum Hartshead);  George Binns (Norland);  John Denton (Stainland With Old Lindley);  George Beaumont,  Joseph Stocks,  Edward Emmet (Northowram);  William Baxter (Barkisland);  Walker Priestley (Soyland);  Michael Hoyle (Rishworth);  Charles Pitchforth (Rastrick);  Thomas Gregory (Shelf);  John Aked (Midgley). Skircoat (2 Members).  Fixby did not appear to have elected their representatives leaving the Board 3 members short.  George Buckston Browne, Of Myrtle Grove, Halifax, was elected the first Chairman.  George Binns was appointed Vice-Chairman.  Charles Barstow, Solicitor, Halifax, was appointed Clerk to the Board.

 

In 1838 the Guardians considered reports on existing Workhouses. There were 14 Township Workhouses, viz.: at Halifax, Southowram, Hipperholme cum Brighouse, Rastrick, Elland cum Greetland, Stainland, Warley, Soyland, Sowerby, Northowram, Shelf, Ovenden, Skircoat and Norland. (Note.- There was certainly one also at Barkisland but it is not mentioned).

 

 On 27th July 1839, the Board decided to erect a new Workhouse for the Union. Land was bought between Gibbet Lane and Hanson Lane. Poor Law Commissioners had reported that in the Township Workhouses the number of inmates was 231. "Some of these houses (said the report) were in a state unfit for human beings to inhabit and the aggregate expense was very great." In 1840 paupers from old Workhouses were moved to the new.

 

In 1846 a large sum was raised by inhabitants for relief of the unemployed. It was used by putting men on the construction of a New Reservoir. The men were paid 2d. per hour.

 

Until the Charter of Incorporation was obtained for Halifax in 1849 the Guardians were the only elective public body in the Town. They had the duty of abating Nuisances under the Nuisances Removal Act. Between November 1848, and February 1851, they dealt with 1,597 Nuisances in Halifax.

 

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