Oldham Poor Law Union

History
Oldham's first workhouse is thought to have been built in around 1730 at Side o'th' Moor between Mumps and Greenacres on the triangle of land now formed between Lees Road, Glodwick Road and Wilkinson Street. A deed dated 26th August 1731 mentions, "All that newly-erected building bays etc. or housing called the poorhouse or workhouse situated and standing on the common or waste ground called Greenacres Moor within Oldham". Another workhouse stood in Middleton on Hollin Lane at Top of Hebers, approximately where Hollin Drive is now. The establishment was originally shared by the parishes of Middleton, Thornham, Hopwood and Birtle-cum-Bamford. However, in 1839, Middleton fell out with the other parishes. As a result the poorhouse had to be divided into two sections, one for use by Middleton paupers, and the remainder of the premises shared by the other parishes. The Oldham Poor Law Union was formed on 3rd February 1837. The constituent parishes were:

Alkrington, Chadderton, Crompton , Middleton , Oldham , Royton , Thornham, Tonge. Later Additions (from 1894): Littleborough, Milnrow, Norden, Oldham, Whitworth. Oldham, like many Unions in the north of England, was resistant to operation of the 1834 Act and which it argued was inappropriate for the needs of a manufacturing area. In 1837, an attempt was made to elect a Board of Guardians, but a bill-posting campaign by the Radicals dissuaded the inhabitants from voting. Eventually, six Guardians were chosen at a Vestry Meeting, but only two of them ever attended a Poor Law Meeting and by the end of the year they had all resigned. The Oldham Board of Guardians finally met on 22nd September 1847. Their first meeting took place in Oldham Town Hall, and first on the agenda was the subject of workhouses. They considered all of the existing workhouses within their jurisdiction (this is the only surviving evidence of the workhouse at Tonge), and decided that none of them were suitable for continued use. Those at Crompton and Tonge were found to be particularly bad and until new accommodation could be provided, it was decided to retain those at Oldham, Middleton, Royton and Chadderton. Construction of a new workhouse began in 1848 on at site at Northmoor at the west side of the Rochdale Road. Designed by Travis and Magnall, architects of Manchester, it was completed in 1851 at a cost of £13,305. In 1855, special accommodation for lunatics was built, and in 1877 sick wards were added. A new male imbecile ward was built in 1881 and one for females in 1886. 1886 also saw the construction of a school, chapel, dormitories, wash-houses and a dining hall. Later additions included workshops, kitchens and a boiler house.

Records
• Oldham Local Studies and Archives, 84 Union Street, Oldham, OL1 1DN. Extensive holdings include: Guardians' minutes (1837-1930); Births (1847-1931); Deaths (1887-94, 1917-47); Creed registers (1891-1946, with gaps); Children received and detained in the workhouse (1910-41); etc.