Witham Poor Law Union, Essex Genealogy

History
A parish workhouse was set up in Witham in 1714 near to the parish church. It was built by means of of a loan from Miss Alice Bird of Great Coggeshall. In its early years, the building was also used as a House of Correction (an early form of prison) for vagrants, vagabonds and disorderly person.

The Parliamentary Commissioner’s report of 1777 records workhouses at Witham (with accommodation for up to 60), Great Coggeshall (50), Faulkbourn (25), Great Baxted (16), Hatfield Peverel (30), Kelvedon (30), Kelvedon's parish workhouse was housed at the north side of the High Street in a building which dated back to the sixteenth century. The building is now home to the Kelvedon Labour Club. Little Coggeshall (15), Messing (100), Rivenhall (25), Terling (20). Witham Poor Law Union was formed on 15th December 1835. The new Witham workhouse, for 300 inmates, was built in 1837-9 at a site to the west of Witham on the Hatfield Road. It was designed by George Gilbert Scott and William Bonython Moffatt where were the architects of many other workhouses during this period including ones for the Billericay, Dunmow and Tendring Unions. It is sometimes referred to as Bridge Union Workhouse, Hatfield Road, Witham. Witham Poor Law Union was dissolved on 25th March 1880 and its member parishes distributed between the adjacent Braintree and Maldon Poor Law Unions. In the summer of 1882, the site was acquired by the South Metropolitan School District Board for use as a branch School for orphans and deserted children between the ages of 7 and 12. In 1901, the site was sold to the Metropolitan Asylums Board and was used for children suffering from the infectious condition of ringworm. At around this time, A separate two-storey infirmary was erected at the west of the main building. By 1908, advances in the treatment of ringworm reduced the need for such establishments and the building became used as an "Industrial Home for Feeble-Minded Boys" also known as the Bridge Training Home. In 1948, the establishment became part of the National Health Service and became known as Bridge Hospital. The hospital closed in 2002 prior to redevelopment of the site into the Homebridge retirement village although the entrance block and main building have been preserved.

Constituent Parishes
==== Records Essex Record Office, Wharf Road Chelmsford CM2 6YT. Few records survive — holdings include: Guardians' minutes (1835-1883)

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