Workhouse records available online at TNA
22 May 2007
You can now search and download documents from Southwell Union Workhouse, the best-preserved workhouse in England. These records are a fantastic resource for researchers. We are fortunate to be able to provide free access to the images because this is a joint project by The National Archives in partnership with the National Trust, with the aid of volunteers in Nottinghamshire. workhouse records, family history, ancestry, family tree, free genealogy databases, free bmd, the national archives, genealogy
Information from the TNA press release:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/workhouse.asp
The TNA data reveals letters between the union and the central authorities. There are letters, memos, reports and accounts bound from the loose correspondence. You will see details of individual paupers and workhouse staff as well as source material to study indoor and outdoor poor relief, education, building work, public health, local politics and labour history, such as trade unions, Chartism and friendly societies.
The records contain information about specific cases such as the dismissal of medical officers or a report on pauper disturbances in the workhouse. Here are examples of what you might find. The first document is a letter from Southwell Union to the Poor Law Board with details of vagrancy. The second is a Poor Law Inspector's report of visit to Southwell Union workhouse.
So many of our ancestors can be found on census returns as being in the local workhouse. Finding out more about why there were there or what happened to them is very difficult as many workhouse records have been destroyed. This is a great opportunity to view workhouse records - even if your ancestor was not in Southwell Union, they are still well worth investigating. | 
