Hi Everyone Can anyone help me please. I have discovered by accident that it appears that my Great Grandfather James Prtichard was in Wandsworth Prison for 14 days! We feel that it might be due to unpaid fine, can anyone find out any information on this. It was about 1894 as it seems Great Nanny went before a Committee on 22 May 1894 (what Committee I have no idea) where it states that "James Pritchard Wandsworth undergoing 14 days". It states on this document which is quite hard to read "admitted last Thursday" I hope and pray that this is NOT the workhouse, but poor relief, my Grandad was 3 at the time. Can anyone help. I think I am going to have stop because my family are so poor and in so much trouble its breaking my heart bearing in mind that my Great Great Grandfather David died in Bethnal Green workhouse infirmary of TB its just too much for me. It also appears that Great Nanny, Ellen Prtichard nee Brett Death was due to cerebral haemorrhage and apoplexy. Certificate issued after inquest on 26 Feb 1908" can anyone shed any light on the inquest for me. Thank you. Sorry to be a pain but have not got access to any records still looking for a job.
I'm not actually answering either of your queries about James and Ellen Pritchard, but I thought I'd just comment on this: From what I've managed to uncover, it looks as though Bethnal Green Workhouse Infirmary wasn't as bad as it sounds (so long as you're thinking of the post-1900 one). The 'Workhouse' bit of its name probably relates more to its origins and management than to the actual conditions there. By modern standards it looks as though it may have been a bit grim and institutional, but when it was built it was probably a state of the art public hospital. Like many public hospitals it was incorporated into the NHS, and it finally closed in 1990. You can read more about it at Code: http://www.workhouses.org.uk/BethnalGreen/ starting about a quarter of the way down the page ("The Cambridge Heath Road Infirmary"), including a long piece from The Builder describing its layout, facilities etc. Information about the records of the infirmary is at Code: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=44&page=5
Hi Yes 1894 around May time and it was only for 14 days we are thinking it may be an unpaid fine, but what fine we have no idea. Thank you
Here is something I found on the Internet years ago: Quote In January 1855, Bethnal Green was the subject of one of a series of articles in the medical journal The Lancet investigating conditions in London workhouses and their infirmities. The report contained a large number of criticism, particularly of the twenty seven sick wards. No running water was available from 5pm until 7am. Classification was poor, with imbeciles scattered amongst the various wards, mixed with the ordinary patients. Light and ventilation were inadequate – many windows were six feet from the floor to prevent inmates seeing out. Overcrowding resulted in each patient have only 300 cubic feet, only a quarter of the official recommendations. There was a lack of water-closets and urine-soaked floors. Washing facilities were severely lacking – in one children’s water 17 children were washed in one pail, several in the same water, and dried with sheets. In the inmate wards, forty-five men were served by two latrines which were flushed twice a day. A staff of only two paid nurses, both untrained nursed up to 600 sick. There were assisted by 40 pauper nurses and helpers “whose tendencies to drink cannot be controlled”. The insane ward consisted of small, dark, ill-ventilated rooms, under the charge of a male pauper, a weaver by trade with no knowledge of nursing. The diet was lacking meat and the aged and infirm were given difficult to digest food such as suet pudding. The number of medical officers was inadequate for the number of patients. Despite all these complaints, Benthnal Green was placed in the best of The Lancet’s three categories, as regards the sick, an indication of how bad conditions were in establishments in the other two classes. Unquote
OK, I take your point. In fact this article is quoted on the page on the Workhouses site that I mentioned before (though it gives the date as 1866). It's quite near the top of the page - Code: http://www.workhouses.org.uk/BethnalGreen/ Not knowing the dates of your gggf David, I didn't know which version of the infirmary he would have been in.
sorry Lonepine should have been clearer wondered what date and where James was born it helps to sometimes find right person
James Prtichard was born circa 1863 Old Ford London. His full name was James Alfred Beriwck Pritchard. He married Ellen Brett born circa 1864 died 1908 they married in 182 at St Thomas Bethnal Green if that helps.
I have found document you mention it is London, England, Selected Poor Law Removal and Settlement Records, 1698-1930 I can see what you mean about not giving much info It usually means they are in need of help and have to prove they are from the borough or be removed to where they were born. It does look as though they did get out of trouble cos they are back on 1901 and 1911 census. At least he wasn't in prison. will see if anything else. .
