Stafford Poor Law Union

History
An institution for the relief of the widows and orphans of poor clergymen of the county is supported by subscription, and has also property vested in old South Sea stock. A county infirmary, or hospital, was established in 1766, and the present building erected in 1772. A lunatic asylum was instituted in the year 1818, for paupers in the county, and for patients from all parts of the kingdom, upon moderate terms, regulated according to their circumstances: the buildings, erected at a cost of £30,524, are capable of accommodating 250 inmates; and the gardens and pleasure-grounds comprise 30 acres. Almshouses for twelve aged and infirm persons were erected in 1640, by Sir Martin Noel, at an expense of £1000: twenty families reside in them. The poor-law union of Stafford comprises 20 parishes or places, and contains a population of 20,293.

From: A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 164-170. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51293 Date accessed: 09 April 2011.

See Also

For more information on the history of the workhouse, see Peter Higginbotham's web site:

www.workhouses.org.uk and http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Stafford/

Contributor please add history of the Union

Parishes in the Union
Berkswich with Walton, Staffordshire Bradley, Staffordshire Chartley Holme, Staffordshire Colwich, Staffordshire Cresswell, Staffordshire Derrington, Staffordshire Ellenhall, Staffordshire Forebridge, Staffordshire Fradswell, Staffordshire Gayton, Staffordshire Haughton, Staffordshire Hixon, Staffordshire Ingestre, Staffordshire Marston with Whitgreave, Staffordshire Ranton, Staffordshire Ranton Abbey, Staffordshire Salt, Staffordshire Seighford, Staffordshire Stafford Christ Church, Staffordshire Stafford St Chad, Staffordshire Stafford St Mary, Staffordshire Stowe, Staffordshire Tillington, Staffordshire Tixall, Staffordshire Weston upon Trent, Staffordshire Worston, Staffordshire Yarlet, Staffordshire

Later additions Great Haywood, Staffordshire