Where was the workhouse in Newry?
A workhouse located in Canal Street, with accommodation for sixty paupers was established by the Newry Workhouse and Mendicity Association in 1834.
When did workhouses close in Northern Ireland?
1945
The Victorian workhouse system established in 1838, continued in Ireland until 1920 (when they were closed by the Irish Free State) and in Northern Ireland until 1945.
What were workhouses during the famine?
Workhouses were places where the very poor, known as paupers, could go to live. Once they entered the workhouse, people had to wear a uniform and were given a very basic diet. The main food they were given was called stirabout, which was similar to a weak oatmeal porridge.
Who invented workhouses?
Built to accommodate around 158 inmates, the operation of Southwell workhouse was widely viewed as a model example of what the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act had set out to achieve in terms of frugality. Designed by the Reverend John T Becher, Southwell was built in 1824 and run by the Thurgarton Incorporation.
Why were conditions in workhouses so awful?
These facilities were designed to punish people for their poverty and, hypothetically, make being poor so horrible that people would continue to work at all costs. Being poor began to carry an intense social stigma, and increasingly, poorhouses were placed outside of public view.
When was the Newry Union Workhouse built?
The new Newry Union workhouse was erected in 1840-1 on a seven-acre site at the south-east of Newry. Designed by the Poor Law Commissioners’ architect George Wilkinson, the building was based on one of his standard plans to accommodate 1,000 inmates. Its construction cost £7,100 plus £1,727 for fittings etc.
How did the workhouse help the poor in Newry?
Supported by public contributions from citizens of Newry and major landowners, the workhouse was seen as a way to better meet the needs of the poor and prevent street-begging. The Association also provided relief for the poor in their homes and provided employment in spinning for around three hundred poor women.
Where was the master’s room in Newry workhouse?
An entrance and administrative block at the south-east contained a porter’s room and waiting room at the centre with the Guardians’ board room on the first floor above. The main accommodation block had the Master’s quarters at the centre, with male and female wings to each side.
How big was the Newry Poor Law Union?
Newry Poor Law Union was formally declared on the 3rd May 1839 and covered an area of 215 square miles. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, 31 in number, representing its 23 electoral divisions as listed below (figures in brackets indicate numbers of Guardians if more than one):