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The
Poor Law in North Staffordshire
Shaw's
memories are confirmed by a contemporary report in the North Staffordshire
Mercury of 18th April 1840:
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POTTERY
POLICE COURTS: TUNSTALL.
Before
T. B. Rose, Job Meigh, J. A. Wise & P. B. Broade, Esqrs:
Mary
Ann Caulfield, and inmate of the union workhouse at Chell, and a mother
of several children, was summoned by George Goodwin, the schoolmaster of
the establishment, who charged her with violent assault upon him. He
stated that when she came into the schoolroom with another woman, to
wash the boys, the defendant charged him with 'murdering' her boy, and
instantly struck him on the side of the head, and kicked him, and gave
him a blow on the ear.
The
defendant at once acknowledged the assault, and said that the cause of
it was the brutal attack upon her little boy, only 4 years old. She ran
out and saw her child, who had the marks of a 'crack' from the masters 5
fingers on each side of his face, and he appeared to have been much
ill-treated. The little fellow trembled and begged her with his hands
uplifted, that she should not go to the master, or he'd murder him. She
could not restrain her mother's feelings she said, and was determined to
be revenged, having often heard of the little boys 'carrying black
flesh' and knowing that he sometimes beat them with a thick knobstick.
She
said that she had neither money nor means, and had a bad husband, but
she was determined if her children were subject to such treatment as
that, she would leave the house.
The
poor woman concluded with a burst of grief, by saying that it was
"beyond nature" to submit to such treatment. She added that
when she named the matter to Mrs. Welsby, she did all she could to
console her, and begged her not to take any rash steps, but wait until
Mr. Welsby came home.
Mr
Rose, who appeared at once to suspect that some cruelty had been
practised, questioned two of the boys who had been brought up by Mr.
Welsby. One of them said "the master laid on very heavily"
when he beat them, and had used a stick twice the thickness of his
finger, and hit them chiefly on the head! Another boy said he had been
struck on the head with the thick stick until he had lumps on it, and it
had bled.
At
the suggestion of Mr. Welsby, the governor, Mr. Rose asked the last boy
what instrument he was struck with on the head. The lad replied "a
key", the lad said that the master struck the child on one side of
the face and then on the other, and the blows knocked it against the
wall, and its face was thus scratched. Mr. Welsby said
the offence which the child had committed, was crying to go to
his little sister who was playing at some distance!
Mr.
Rose said that he could not approve of this mode of treating children,
especially the practice of striking them on the head. He thought the
birch the best instrument, and even if a cane be used, it should be a
very thin one. Mr. Welsby,
in answer to Mr. Rose said the defendant was a very well conducted
woman. Mr. Rose dismissed the charge, much to the satisfaction of all
present. Mr. Welsby pledged himself to bring the subject under the
notice of the Board of Guardians at the next meeting.
North
Staffordshire Mercury 18th
April 1840:
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28th
April 1840:
The
attention of the meeting was called by the clerk to the assault made by
one of the female inmates upon the schoolmaster for beating her child.
The case had been brought before the Stipendiary magistrate and
dismissed by him.
The
Board considered that the charge was proved and that the authority of
the schoolmaster should be maintained (in the proper discharge of his
duty) the above decision having a contrary effect. The schoolmaster was
directed to use only proper weapons in correcting the lads, and to
report in case any should be refractory.
Wolstanton
& Burslem Union Board of Guardians, Minute Book
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It
is interesting to get a glimpse of the workhouse in the twentieth century from
the Sentinel newspaper which sees it in a much softer light. Does the article
reflect a pleasanter approach to the care of the poor this century, or does it
only seem better at a distance?
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Grim
Workhouse became a haven for the destitute
Although
Arnold Bennett described the Victorian workhouse at Chell as the
Bastille, its grim reputation wasn't deserved in later years.
Life
under the strict regime at Chell might have been hard, but for destitute
families it was a good deal better than living on the streets.
Mavis
Shufflebottom, former administrator at Westcliffe Hospital, maintains
that the old Wolstanton and Burslem Union Workhouse adjoining the
hospital was a refuge which undoubtedly saved some peoples lives.
"There
was no social security or family allowance in those days," she
says, "so the inmates of the workhouse were thankful to get three
cooked meals a day."
Between
the wars it became known as the Turnhurst Institution but continued to
perform the same role. it accommodated up to 350 people, including many
children who were given lessons in a schoolroom. Tramps were still
admitted, provided they were deloused.
Mrs.
Shufflebottom explains that in the 1940's the name was changed to
Westcliffe residential home. Tramps were barred and the last burial took
place in a paupers cemetery on the opposite side of the road.
The
old building continued to operate as a home for poor people until 1975
when the 300 residents were moved into five purpose built homes in other
parts of the city. It was demolished in 1993.
The
Sentinel Newspaper, December 1997
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Westcliffe Hospital
Built in 1894 by the Wolstanton and Burslem Union as
an addition to the existing workhouse
photo:
© Steve Lewin Dec 2005
and licensed for reuse under this
Creative Commons Licence
1894 Wolstanton & Burslem
Union
Across the road from the hospital is the site of
the workhouse burial ground. A few of the plain headstones can still be seen,
rectangular in shape and unmarked. They are mainly covered in green moss. The
perimeter was originally iron railings and a hedge. Most of the hedge has
survived but now is overgrown in many places.
a group of four headstones, two can be seen in
the upper left of the frame,
covered in moss. The best one is on the right
A plaque outside the burial
ground,
across from the hospital, was laid in 1992. It reads:
City of Stoke-on-Trent
Plaque unveiled by the Lord mayor of Stoke-on-Trent
Councillor Alan Jones 6th October 1992
To
commemorate the opening of
Scotia Valley Reclamation Scheme Phase 1
Incorporating the former burial ground of the
Wolstanton and Burslem Union Workhouse
REST
IN PEACE
photos of gravestones: Sue Williams
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