Piece
See MH 82/12
Catalogue reference: MH 82/49
Date: 1954 Sept 16-1956 Nov 15
See MH 82/12
Item
Folios 294-296. Letter from Thomas Hartley, inmate of Kidderminster Union Workhouse,...
Catalogue reference: MH 12/14019/199
What’s it about?
This record is about the Folios 294-296. Letter from Thomas Hartley, inmate of Kidderminster Union Workhouse,... dating from 1 May 1848 in the series Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and.... It is held at The National Archives, Kew.
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Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- MH 12/14019/199
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Date (When the record was created)
- 1 May 1848
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Description (What the record is about)
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- Content
- Folios 294-296. Letter from Thomas Hartley, inmate of Kidderminster Union Workhouse, 'To the Comishoners of Her Majesties Poor Law Unions' [the Poor Law Board] thanking them for their kind endeavours in regard to his earlier letter [17 April 1848]; his further comments include the following: 1. He was rather annoyed during the meeting with the Guardians in the presence of a 'Comishoner' when he was called to order for criticizing the 'Governor' [Workhouse Master] over the wearing of dirty stockings. 2. A Guardian suggested he should leave if he didn't like it. 3. When told that he, Hartley, was employed at the stone block the Reverend Fletcher said 'then keep him at it'. Hartley considered this a 'clandestical threten' and not a suitable comment for a 'Minister of the Gospel of Christ' to make. An account of a man named Bates, who came to Kidderminster Workhouse from Droitwich Asylum [Worcestershire], relates the following: 1. He is sometimes 'a little governable' but sometimes strapped down and has been in a strange state for months. 2. On Easter Monday, he was dressed in his own clothes and let out of the gate. He returned on the Wednesday and 'Raskally us'd' by William Smith, commonly called Callis. 3. Bates came out in his shirt and walked into the public yard. Smith went behind him and exposed his nakedness. Violence ensued. Hartley informed the mistress [matron]. 4. On Friday morning, Hartley overheard a loud exchange of words between the 'Governor' and the men in an adjoining apartment. The 'Governor' came in and said 'Mr Hartley, you may Report this to the Comishoners', and on his way out, 'I will look after you'. This Hartley considered threatening. Following this incident, Mr Duncomb, Guardian, visited the workhouse and advised inmates with 'something to say' to go to the Committee. Hartley followed this advice and recounted the above occurrences. Another inmate, Thomas Simmonds, made the following complaint. Old men entitled to 5oz of butter per week were receiving only 4oz. After asking why the amount had been reduced, it went back up to 5oz on Saturday the next 'butter day'. According to Hartley's roommate, Gower, the butter ration had been reduced for at least 5 weeks. Hartley considers this 'Robery or defraud'. After the complaint was made, Simmonds stated that the 'Governor' threatened that they should have no butter at all. Hartley suggests that the only way for a visiting authority to see the true state of the Workhouse is to arrive unexpectedly. When such a person is known to be coming Hartley observes that The inmates are ordered to sweep the place and put on clean bed quilts. Also clean sheets are put on beds that are 'dirty'd through' in particular those of the Idiots. Finally, the running in all quarters suggests the arrival of an 'enemy'. Paper from John Thomas Graves, Poor Law Board Inspector, Cheltenham [Gloucestershire], [to the Poor Law Board] dated 9 May 1848, commenting on the state of Kidderminster Union Workhouse. He recommends the following. To enquire if 'a charge of defrauding in the article of butter' has been made against the master to the Dietary Committee or the guardians. To ask if the matter has been investigated and with what result. To prevent suspicion of favouritism the medical officer should make a list of the infirm entitled to tea and butter. The guardians should give instructions about the allowance to the master. He refers to his earlier reports on Kidderminster Union with suggestions on the subject of complaints, and observes: 1. The guardians should investigate definite complaints in a regular manner. 2. Though it must take courage for a pauper to press a complaint against a Mmaster of the workhouse, he does not believe the guardians would sanction tyranny or fraud. 3. Thomas Hartley's account of what occurred at the Board meeting, when he was examined in Graves's presence, is correct. Paper Number: 12857/1848. Poor Law Union Number 530. Counties: Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Shropshire.
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
- Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
- English
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Closure status (Whether the record is ‘open’ (available to the public) or ‘closed’ (not available due to a legal exemption))
- Open Document, Open Description
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C10553627/
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Series information
MH 12
Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and...
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Over 27 million records
This record is held at The National Archives, Kew
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Within the series: MH 12
Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and...
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Within the piece: MH 12/14019
Kidderminster 530. (Described at item level).
You are currently looking at the item: MH 12/14019/199
Folios 294-296. Letter from Thomas Hartley, inmate of Kidderminster Union Workhouse,...
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