Huthwaite joins the Workhouse

Nursing with various medication and surgical practices can be dated way back throughout the world history. British awareness largely grew amid 16th century leadership towards benefits of promoting the care and health of its population. Mystical or spiritual powers long associated with such healing did retain religious connections. Parish clergy adopted more educated teachings before then qualifying recognised Doctors of Medicine. Perhaps faith could still offer better chance of healing against some rudimentary surgical practices, at least until scientific knowledge slowly advanced through at least another four hundred years.

Poor sanitation or cleanliness will readily invite disease, but poverty generally means a bad diet which also result in ill health and a far shorter potential lifespan. From times when Hucknall-under-Huthwaite hamlet emerged inside a Sutton parish, its workforce largely relied upon agricultural labouring. After centuries of very gradual rural growth a few Huthwaite land owners could simply not afford sustaining growing numbers of dependent poor on farms. Same problem reached nationwide, seeing Acts of Parliament passing poor laws placing responsibility upon each parish government to provide suitable employment for all the needy.

Unemployment still commonly faced anyone suffering handicap or illness. Children and elders left in dire poverty joined many of the disabled and mentally disturbed whose failure to feed or house themselves meant being condemned for a life in the workhouses. The work of Sutton historian L Lindley noted Before the adoption of the Poor Law Amendment Bill, 1834 A.D., forming Unions, which Act was amended 1836-38, 1846-47, each parish had to maintain its own poor, who, in some cases were housed in cottages secured by the Overseers for that special purpose. Sutton, like most other towns, were not unfortunately without its poor, and consequently several cottages in Hardwick Street were "commandeered" for their accommodation. Hence the space of ground at the rear of the old Ebenezer Chapel being called "Workhouse Yard." Under these circumstances, no parish would, if it could possibly avoid it, have cottages built. The large amount of labour, however, which had been imported into Sutton to work the mills were perforced to be housed in cottages very hurriedly erected regardless of sanitary arrangements, air space, or anything else. This would account, in a large measure, to the congested condition in the old part of Sutton, such as in the Idlewells and Devonshire Square district. In 1847, when Mr William Bonser and Mr. James Lindley were Overseers of the Poor. 15 rates of 10d. in the £ were levied for the relief of the poor. It was apparent that this state of affairs could not go on, so the Government Bill forming districts into Unions was one of the finest measures that was ever introduced for the relief of the poor—at any rate, for the rates of Sutton. When the Workhouse at Mansfield was erected, the Workhouse at Sutton ceased to exist.

The authoritative work by GG Bonsor stated how no actual accounts survive detailing inmates or business from Sutton workhouses. His information was extracted from minutes of meetings when held in the parish vestry, dating intentions on 6th December 1771 into firstly letting pieces of land towards covering expense of a new workhouse. Rents are recorded in April 1789 from area called Town Green, shared by Overseers of Sutton and Hucknall. Our two townships remained a single parish component when on 23rd February 1790 Samuel Wilson and his wife of Hucknall Huthwaite were appointed as Overseers of that Workhouse at £10 for one year. Signed and witnessed the agreement reads... "First he is to see the provisions properly distributed amongst that family, he is also to set to work those that he thinks able. He is likewise to act in his professional business as surgeon and apothecary for all the poor of this parish gratis, he being paid for the drugs or medicine by the overseer of the poor for the time being."

Difficulty arises determining when the Sutton workhouse became duly built, though it would seem sited on or around Hardwick Street, in use from 1777 until that buildings 1846 sale. A Thomas Dove and wife were appointed Master and Mistress 24th February 1800, possibly seeing a workshop added 1816. Impression is given of failing attempts meeting industrial sufficiency, when by 1820 financial assistance sought from the Duke of Portland helps cover expense uniting parish assistance. The inefficient costs inflicted upon smaller parishes finally necessitated an 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act creating larger Unions. Another House of Industry at Basford noted a Guardian John Clarke resided Crow Trees, Fulwood.

A Mansfield Union became declared in June 1836. General guidelines were made such buildings should resemble prisons, or at least reflect degrading hardship enough to repulse normal humanity. Architect Sampson Kempthorne designed the Mansfield Workhouse shown below, costing over £4,000 and opened 1837. c1900 That austere stone construction long stood upon Stockwell Gate. With capacity for accommodating upward 300 inmates, an additional infirmary was erected 1854 allowing the Board of Guardians to room another 85 patients forming an Infirmary Hospital.

The Mansfield Union included parishes in both Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, eventually incorporating all Ault Hucknall, Blackwell, Blidworth, Fulwood, Glapwell, Heywood Oaks, Hucknall Huthwaite, Lyndhurst, Mansfield, Mansfield Woodhouse, Pinxton, Pleasley, Scarcliff, Skegby, Sookholme, South Normanton, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Teversal, Tibshelf, Upper Langwith and Warsop. Accounts are recorded showing the Board conducted some tough interrogations before allowing entry. Realising tax payers expense meant humiliated victims proving their degrading needs before securing working accommodation.

Inmates identified simply born at Hucknall-under-Huthwaite
Named as Inmates	Mar	Age	Sex	Occupancy
Allsop Bartholomew	M	40	M	Agricultural Labourer
Allsop Eliza	U	51	F	Imbecile
Archer Lewis William	-	8	M
Foster Daniel	-	11	M	Blind
Herrett John	U	70	M	Gardener Domestic Servant
Kitchener Herbert	U	39	M	Coal Miner
Radford Laurence	U	68	M	Cotton Stocking Knitter
Smith Henry	U	55	M	Coal Miner
Wass Elizabeth	U	58	F	House Wife

Census 1881 fully reveals staff and inmate numbers totalled residency at 234. Listing just these inmates extracted by given birth in Hucknall-under-Huthwaite may still not be true representation of all our villagers. Names could relate other inmates, when readily finding birthplace addresses come from far and wide before relocation.

Recorded in 1891 the Mansfield Union covered a total area of 57,810 acres. Populated by 55,296 residents roughly equates average density at one person for every available acre. It may reflect the poor farming quality found upon these steep rural meadows. Times now rapidly changed however, and although administered by Poor Law Guardians, a foundation stone laid July 23rd 1897 saw further extension onto the Mansfield Workhouse Infirmary. At a reported cost of £10,000 it almost doubled capacity for over 160 patients, when also becoming called the Victoria Hospital. Naming may recognise changing needs, continuing to serve modern care after reorganising and demolishing the Workhouse Institutional building.