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| 'Old Workhouse' marked on an 1854 map of Bentley |
'I Never Knew Bentley Had A Workhouse'
It is a little known fact that at one time Bentley had a workhouse. In fact if it wasn't for the existence of the 1854 map (above) with the 'Old Workhouse' clearly marked on it, I doubt whether any of us would be any the wiser about this building.
When I was recently approached for information on the said workhouse, I had to admit that I didn't have much to go on. But although there are no surviving records of this building, I was determined to find out as much as I could about why Bentley had a workhouse, when it might have been in operation and what conditions might have been like for those unfortunates forced to turn there for help, here is what I managed to find out.
Contents
- Provision For The Poor
- The Old Poor Law
- The New Poor Law
- Poor Relief In The Parish Of Bentley And Arksey
- Doncaster Workhouses
- Evidence For A Workhouse In Bentley
- Bentley Hall
- When Did The Hall Become A Workhouse?
- Workhouse Life And Conditions
- Discharge From The Workhouse
- The Closure Of Bentley Workhouse
- Not Just Words On A Map
Provision For The Poor
The Old Poor Law
To better understand how Bentley came to have a workhouse it is necessary to look at how these institutions came into being in the first place.
Poor relief in some form has existed since at least the fifteenth century. Various legislation and acts, including the 1601 Poor Relief Act were introduced mainly to deal with vagrants and beggars, forcing able bodied men to work for little reward. Some of these acts were brutal in their execution, sending men to the stocks or into slavery, more as a punishment for their low circumstances rather than assisting them in their time of need.
However, by the end of the sixteenth century the future of poor relief was taking a more charitable turn. The parish took over provision for the poor, collecting donations in a 'common box' to be used to support those in need. 'Overseers of the Poor' were introduced to ensure that the elderly, blind and lame were provided for in almshouses or poorhouses, while the able bodied were required to work or face the 'House of Correction' (prison).
The first workhouses were set up following the Knatchbull Act of 1723. Knatchbull's act allowed parishes to purchase or hire a house (or houses), for the purpose of providing lodgings and employment to poor persons. It was intended that the regime of these workhouses would act as a deterrent and only those in desperate need would be likely to accept the way of life there.
These workhouses were often run by a third-party contractor on behalf of the parish, who would be paid a weekly rate for each inmate. The contractor would provide the inmates with work and keep any income generated, a system known as 'farming' the poor.
By 1777 there were almost 2,000 parish workhouses in operation in England and Wales, with approximately one parish in seven running one.
Further acts followed that of Knatchbull's, each one bringing in various new amendments, but by the late 1820's there was growing dissatisfaction with the whole system. The landowners were burdened with having to pay a growing poor rate and there was unrest among the poor, which led to rioting and attacking poorhouses. In 1832 a Royal Commission review was appointed by the government to overhaul the whole poor relief system.
By the end of the 19th century the workhouse was becoming crowded out by the encroaching Plant and Railway works (see map above), so a new site was opened in 1900 at Springwell Lane, Balby. Ten times larger than the previous site, this new workhouse had capacity for 600 inmates, an infirmary, isolation hospital, laundry, lunacy wards and cottages for elderly couples.
As we have noted above, perhaps the only clue to Bentley having a workhouse is in the 1854 map (above). The challenge was to find other evidence of this institution among written records.
The obvious starting point when looking for workhouse records is the census. Usually easily identified by the long list of 'inmates' within one property. It was quite straightforward to check the 1841 and 1851 census for these lists. However, when it was established that none of the census records had any kind of workhouse records it was time to look elsewhere.
Previous research for the article William Marsh, Son of a Miller, Friend of a President had found mention of the workhouse. Mr Marsh, who was born in Bentley had lived for a number of years in America, becoming a good friend of Abraham Lincoln and working as a diplomat for him in Denmark. Once he returned to Bentley in 1868 William bought Bentley 'Old Hall' on 'Mill Street' (latterly Mill Gate) from the Wheatley Estate. The Hall was said to have once belonged to Sir Godfrey Copley of Sprotborough Hall, and that it was a former workhouse. Mr Marsh spent £500 on renovations (a considerable sum in those days) to make the house habitable for him and his family. They moved into the Hall in 1869 but by 1882 he left for a new position in Lancashire.
From this information it was established that the workhouse had once been housed in Bentley Hall and as it had once belonged to Sir Godfrey Copley, that pushed the age of the Hall back considerably. Sir Godfrey Copley was born in 1653 and died in 1709. He built Sprotborough Hall between 1685 and 1690, inheriting the title of Baronet from his father, also called Sir Godfrey, the first baronet in 1677. Copley was a major landowner in the area and was known to own lands in Bentley, including it seems, Bentley Hall.
We can now safely assume the Hall was at least built in the early eighteenth century, or even in the late seventeenth century.
Looking a little further Edward Miller describes 'the ruins of an old fabric, formerly called Bentley Hall, situated in the Mill Close.' This was in Miller's book The History and Antiquities of Doncaster and its Vicinity, of 1804. To be a ruin in 1804 suggests a much earlier date for its building.
In fact the Hall was included in the Hearth Tax of 1672, so this pushes the date of the building even further back. But that isn't even the earliest reference to Bentley Hall; that is found in the parish registers. In 1634 Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Gill was buried at Arksey and the burial record mentions that she was 'of Bentley Hall'. The Gill family have records dating back to 1621 when an infant child of Thomas Gill's was buried. Not every entry mentions where they lived so we have no way of knowing how early their time at the Hall began. Then of course we cannot be sure that the Hall which existed in the early seventeenth century is the same building that became the workhouse. Old buildings were often torn down and replaced when they become too costly to maintain.
Bentley Hall does not have any other mentions in the parish registers so it is impossible to name any other occupants of the residence.
The Hall was finally demolished in the mid twentieth century and 'Old Hall Road' now runs across what would have been its lands.
For the article on William Marsh go to William Marsh, Son of a Miller, Friend of a President.
Follow this link to reach The History and Antiquities of Doncaster and its Vicinity.
Given what we have learned about the history of poor relief so far, it is safe to assume that Bentley's workhouse was a 'parish workhouse', not a 'Union workhouse'. In 1837 all those Bentley people requiring residential poor relief would have been moved to the new Union workhouse at Hexthorpe, which would account for there being no census records for inmates at Bentley.
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| Ancient 'common box' or 'Alms box' in Arksey church. Photo courtesy of Chelle Tovell |
The first workhouses were set up following the Knatchbull Act of 1723. Knatchbull's act allowed parishes to purchase or hire a house (or houses), for the purpose of providing lodgings and employment to poor persons. It was intended that the regime of these workhouses would act as a deterrent and only those in desperate need would be likely to accept the way of life there.
These workhouses were often run by a third-party contractor on behalf of the parish, who would be paid a weekly rate for each inmate. The contractor would provide the inmates with work and keep any income generated, a system known as 'farming' the poor.
By 1777 there were almost 2,000 parish workhouses in operation in England and Wales, with approximately one parish in seven running one.
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| Unrest and rioting in the late 1820's |
Further acts followed that of Knatchbull's, each one bringing in various new amendments, but by the late 1820's there was growing dissatisfaction with the whole system. The landowners were burdened with having to pay a growing poor rate and there was unrest among the poor, which led to rioting and attacking poorhouses. In 1832 a Royal Commission review was appointed by the government to overhaul the whole poor relief system.
The New Poor Law
Following the Royal Commission review of the poor relief system a new poor law amendment act was passed in 1834. The main change this new act brought about was to abolish poor relief for those living 'outside' the workhouses, and that parishes should group together to operate a workhouse with a central body to administer the system.
Parishes were absorbed into the new administrative units called Poor Law Unions. This allowed the parish run workhouses to close and for larger, purpose built workhouses to provide for the destitute in the nearest market town.
The Poor Law Unions were run by a locally elected Board of Guardians. Overseeing the Unions were the Poor Law Commissioners which set out every aspect of the way the workhouses were to be run.
Poor Relief In The Parish Of Bentley And Arksey
As far back as the late 1500's, Dole Charities existed in the parish, and records exist of donations and applications for dole made over the following three hundred years or so.
The Cooke family are probably the best known for their charitable actions toward the poor of the parish. In 1660 Sir George Cooke built twelve Almshouses at Arksey for the poorest and oldest people in the parish. This was probably the first 'hospital', as they were apt to be called back then, for the poor to be provided anywhere immediately north of Doncaster. However, this was no workhouse, each widow or pauper had their own dwelling plus an endowment of £5 each per annum for the rest of their lives.
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| Arksey Almshouses entrance 1895 |
With the introduction of parish provision for the poor in the late 1600's, the parish got it's first 'Overseers of the Poor' in 1674. They would have been responsible for the poor, elderly, lame and infirm of the parish until the New Poor Law was passed in 1834 and the 'Poor Law Unions' took over from the parish, transferring their 'care' to central Doncaster.
For more Arksey's Almshouses go to The Almshouses on sister site Arksey Village, A History.
For more Arksey's Almshouses go to The Almshouses on sister site Arksey Village, A History.
Doncaster Workhouses
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| Doncaster's first workhouse in a sketch of 1887 |
The first parish workhouse in Doncaster opened in 1730. It was in a house first built by Alderman William Pell in 1683, possibly in the High Street.
Following the formation of the Poor Law Union in 1834 Doncaster became one of the 'centres' which would absorb over forty parishes and townships in the area. For this to be achieved a new site for a purpose built workhouse would have to be found.
In 1837 the Poor Law Guardians purchased a two and a half acre site in Hexthorpe. This first Union Workhouse was built in 1839/40.
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| Hexthorpe workhouse (within red area) showing how close the railway had become by 1901 |
By the end of the 19th century the workhouse was becoming crowded out by the encroaching Plant and Railway works (see map above), so a new site was opened in 1900 at Springwell Lane, Balby. Ten times larger than the previous site, this new workhouse had capacity for 600 inmates, an infirmary, isolation hospital, laundry, lunacy wards and cottages for elderly couples.
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| Springwell Lane Workhouse in 1930 |
In 1913 workhouses were renamed Poor Law Institutions and in 1929 the government abolished the Poor Law Guardians meaning that provision for the poor fell to the council.
The Springwell Lane premises became 'Springwell House Public Assistance Institution' and was used as a local authority hospital which also provided accommodation for the destitute and 'mentally deficient'.
The poor quality of the accommodation prevented the building being taken into NHS use as a hospital, but they did take it over and use it for maternity and geriatric services in the 1950's, renaming it the 'Western Hospital'. It was demolished in 1974 and the site was used for a primary school and housing.
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| Springwell Lane workhouse in 1900 |
Evidence For A Workhouse In Bentley
As we have noted above, perhaps the only clue to Bentley having a workhouse is in the 1854 map (above). The challenge was to find other evidence of this institution among written records.
Bentley Hall
The 1854 map (top) shows the workhouse lying in a sizable piece of land just off Mill Gate, and as the map describes the building as the 'old workhouse', we can be pretty certain that it pre-dates 1854.The obvious starting point when looking for workhouse records is the census. Usually easily identified by the long list of 'inmates' within one property. It was quite straightforward to check the 1841 and 1851 census for these lists. However, when it was established that none of the census records had any kind of workhouse records it was time to look elsewhere.
Previous research for the article William Marsh, Son of a Miller, Friend of a President had found mention of the workhouse. Mr Marsh, who was born in Bentley had lived for a number of years in America, becoming a good friend of Abraham Lincoln and working as a diplomat for him in Denmark. Once he returned to Bentley in 1868 William bought Bentley 'Old Hall' on 'Mill Street' (latterly Mill Gate) from the Wheatley Estate. The Hall was said to have once belonged to Sir Godfrey Copley of Sprotborough Hall, and that it was a former workhouse. Mr Marsh spent £500 on renovations (a considerable sum in those days) to make the house habitable for him and his family. They moved into the Hall in 1869 but by 1882 he left for a new position in Lancashire.
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| Sprotborough Hall |
From this information it was established that the workhouse had once been housed in Bentley Hall and as it had once belonged to Sir Godfrey Copley, that pushed the age of the Hall back considerably. Sir Godfrey Copley was born in 1653 and died in 1709. He built Sprotborough Hall between 1685 and 1690, inheriting the title of Baronet from his father, also called Sir Godfrey, the first baronet in 1677. Copley was a major landowner in the area and was known to own lands in Bentley, including it seems, Bentley Hall.
We can now safely assume the Hall was at least built in the early eighteenth century, or even in the late seventeenth century.
Looking a little further Edward Miller describes 'the ruins of an old fabric, formerly called Bentley Hall, situated in the Mill Close.' This was in Miller's book The History and Antiquities of Doncaster and its Vicinity, of 1804. To be a ruin in 1804 suggests a much earlier date for its building.
In fact the Hall was included in the Hearth Tax of 1672, so this pushes the date of the building even further back. But that isn't even the earliest reference to Bentley Hall; that is found in the parish registers. In 1634 Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Gill was buried at Arksey and the burial record mentions that she was 'of Bentley Hall'. The Gill family have records dating back to 1621 when an infant child of Thomas Gill's was buried. Not every entry mentions where they lived so we have no way of knowing how early their time at the Hall began. Then of course we cannot be sure that the Hall which existed in the early seventeenth century is the same building that became the workhouse. Old buildings were often torn down and replaced when they become too costly to maintain.
Bentley Hall does not have any other mentions in the parish registers so it is impossible to name any other occupants of the residence.
The Hall was finally demolished in the mid twentieth century and 'Old Hall Road' now runs across what would have been its lands.
For the article on William Marsh go to William Marsh, Son of a Miller, Friend of a President.
Follow this link to reach The History and Antiquities of Doncaster and its Vicinity.
When Did The Hall Become A Workhouse?
This is still a tricky question to answer without access to written records, but if we take all the clues found so far it is possible to take an educated guess at the most likely time-frame for the existence of the workhouse, as set out in the time-line below.- 1634 - Earliest reference to a Hall at Bentley
- 1672 - The Hall is included in the Hearth Tax
- 1674 - Overseers of the poor established in the parish
- Late 1600's - Sir Godfrey Copley owns the Hall
- 1723 - Knatchbull's Act allows workhouses to be operated by parishes.
- 1800's - The Hall is owned by the Wheatley Estate
- 1804 - The Hall described as a ruin by Edward Miller
- 1834 - New Poor Law Unions created
- 1837 - A new workhouse built at Hexthorpe
- 1841 - 1851 - No mention of 'inmates' on census records
- 1854 - 'Old Workhouse' shown on map
- 1868 - William Marsh buys the Hall and 'former workhouse'
- 1882 - William Marsh sells the Hall
- Mid 20th century, the Hall is demolished
The very earliest date that a workhouse could have operated in Bentley is from 1723, following Knatchbull's Act. So that leaves 114 years during which the workhouse could have existed. If we factor in the evidence from Edward Miller that Bentley Hall was a ruin in 1804, that means it must have been unoccupied for a considerable length of time. Interestingly, Miller makes no mention of the Hall ever having been used as a workhouse up until then.
Therefore, the most likely time for the Hall to have been used as a workhouse must be after 1804, but before 1837. It is entirely possible that the parish, with a growing need for residential poor relief, rented the ruined Hall from the Wheatley Estate, paid for renovations to make it habitable and ran it as a workhouse until the new Poor Law Unions took over provision for the poor in 1837, in the new Hexthorpe property.
Of course there is a level of guesswork here, and some may have other ideas about the dating of the workhouse, but taking all the evidence into account, this is probably the best conclusion we can hope to achieve.
So what would life have been like inside Bentley workhouse? Well, although we can't be certain of the hardships faced by the Bentley inmates, we can get an idea of their daily routines and the kinds of conditions they endured from the orders kept at Doncaster parish workhouse.
It is hard to say what the building itself would have been like, but as a former seventeenth century hall it would likely have been dark, despite the whitewashed walls, and quite sparsely furnished. There would have been up to ten beds in each room, depending on the size of the rooms.
Those seeking poor relief from the workhouse were usually too poor, ill or old to support themselves. Unmarried pregnant women, thrown out by their families or those with mental problems often ended up in the workhouse too. Poor relief was not given to individuals within a family, it was usually a requirement that the whole family come into a workhouse together.
On entering the workhouse, it was usual to wash or bathe and be given a uniform. The inmate's own clothes being put in the stores until their discharge.
Unlike Union workhouses where males, females and children all lived in separate blocks, there was less segregation in the smaller workhouse. Everyone ate together in a large dining hall, and families would assemble and follow the Master and Mistress to church services.
The workhouse would have been run on a day to day basis by the Master and Mistress. They were overseen by the Governors, who would have final say on admissions and discharges. The Governors would meet weekly to discuss orders and regulations, and they would also carry out visits to the workhouse to inspect conditions and deal with any issues.
Clean linens were provided once a week and clean bedding every three to four weeks. Children had their heads combed and faces washed each morning before either attending lessons or being cared for while their parents worked.
In the summer half of the year (from 25 March to 29 September) inmates rose at five in the morning, worked from six a.m. until seven in the evening and were in bed by nine. While in the winter half of the year, they rose at six, worked from seven a.m. until four, and were in bed by seven.
Rules were harsh with restrictions on smoking and drinking, leaving the premises without permission, swearing, quarreling and even talking to outsiders on the walk to church. As for punishments, the Master and Mistress were not allowed to strike any of the adult inmates, but may use a rod on the children. Those adults who were disorderly were to be put in the 'dark hole' until the visiting Governor next did his rounds.
Living in close quarters like this meant that disease was rife. Vermin and infestations caused all manner of fevers and illnesses and when infectious diseases, such a smallpox struck, mortality rates would be very high.
Food was simple and monotonous, most workhouses served up the same sort of fare day in, day out. To give an idea of what the inmates were living on here is a food list from Doncaster parish workhouse:
Morning
A quart of milk porridge (women a lesser proportion).
Noon
Meat, roots and pudding broth and bread, or pease pudding, hasty pudding or furmity (a dish of hulled wheat boiled in milk), and a mug of beer (beer was safer to drink than water).
Night
Bread and cheese and mug of beer.
The aim of the workhouse was to train and prepare the inmates for work outside upon their discharge, it also helped with the running of the premises. Women and girls of appropriate age would work in the kitchen, laundry and garden, where food was grown. Able bodied men would be required to carry out some labouring work such as, stone breaking (for use in road building), gypsum crushing (for making plaster), wood chopping, and oakum picking. Oakum picking involved teasing out fibres from old hemp ropes, which was then sold on to shipbuilders, mixed with tar and used to seal the linings of ships.
If, as we believe, Bentley workhouse was in operation in the early 1800's, then it is likely that it continued to operate until the new workhouse at Hexthorpe was built in 1837, following the passing of the New Poor Law in 1834.
So, the 'Old Workhouse' is not just words on a map anymore. By looking at the history of the Mill Gate building, we discovered that it was once called Bentley Hall and built in the seventeenth century. We also found out about past owners and occupiers. The history of the poor laws gave an insight into when the Hall may have been used as a workhouse, and what type it was. We were also able to determine what workhouse life was like by looking at a similar workhouse in Doncaster.
Today we look back on workhouses as demeaning, cruel places, with about as much freedom as a prison, however, if you and your family were starving and couldn't afford the rent on your cottage, then you would be glad of such help. Thankfully, we have much better social care these days and the suffering of the paupers of the past is now a distant memory.
Further reading:
Doncaster Workhouses
The History of the Workhouse by Peter Higginbotham
Alison Vainlo
First written 2017, updated 2020
Workhouse Life And Conditions
So what would life have been like inside Bentley workhouse? Well, although we can't be certain of the hardships faced by the Bentley inmates, we can get an idea of their daily routines and the kinds of conditions they endured from the orders kept at Doncaster parish workhouse.
It is hard to say what the building itself would have been like, but as a former seventeenth century hall it would likely have been dark, despite the whitewashed walls, and quite sparsely furnished. There would have been up to ten beds in each room, depending on the size of the rooms.
Those seeking poor relief from the workhouse were usually too poor, ill or old to support themselves. Unmarried pregnant women, thrown out by their families or those with mental problems often ended up in the workhouse too. Poor relief was not given to individuals within a family, it was usually a requirement that the whole family come into a workhouse together.
On entering the workhouse, it was usual to wash or bathe and be given a uniform. The inmate's own clothes being put in the stores until their discharge.
Unlike Union workhouses where males, females and children all lived in separate blocks, there was less segregation in the smaller workhouse. Everyone ate together in a large dining hall, and families would assemble and follow the Master and Mistress to church services.
The workhouse would have been run on a day to day basis by the Master and Mistress. They were overseen by the Governors, who would have final say on admissions and discharges. The Governors would meet weekly to discuss orders and regulations, and they would also carry out visits to the workhouse to inspect conditions and deal with any issues.
Clean linens were provided once a week and clean bedding every three to four weeks. Children had their heads combed and faces washed each morning before either attending lessons or being cared for while their parents worked.
In the summer half of the year (from 25 March to 29 September) inmates rose at five in the morning, worked from six a.m. until seven in the evening and were in bed by nine. While in the winter half of the year, they rose at six, worked from seven a.m. until four, and were in bed by seven.
Rules were harsh with restrictions on smoking and drinking, leaving the premises without permission, swearing, quarreling and even talking to outsiders on the walk to church. As for punishments, the Master and Mistress were not allowed to strike any of the adult inmates, but may use a rod on the children. Those adults who were disorderly were to be put in the 'dark hole' until the visiting Governor next did his rounds.
Living in close quarters like this meant that disease was rife. Vermin and infestations caused all manner of fevers and illnesses and when infectious diseases, such a smallpox struck, mortality rates would be very high.
Food was simple and monotonous, most workhouses served up the same sort of fare day in, day out. To give an idea of what the inmates were living on here is a food list from Doncaster parish workhouse:
Morning
A quart of milk porridge (women a lesser proportion).
Noon
Meat, roots and pudding broth and bread, or pease pudding, hasty pudding or furmity (a dish of hulled wheat boiled in milk), and a mug of beer (beer was safer to drink than water).
Night
Bread and cheese and mug of beer.
The aim of the workhouse was to train and prepare the inmates for work outside upon their discharge, it also helped with the running of the premises. Women and girls of appropriate age would work in the kitchen, laundry and garden, where food was grown. Able bodied men would be required to carry out some labouring work such as, stone breaking (for use in road building), gypsum crushing (for making plaster), wood chopping, and oakum picking. Oakum picking involved teasing out fibres from old hemp ropes, which was then sold on to shipbuilders, mixed with tar and used to seal the linings of ships.
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| Workhouse women oakum picking |
Discharge From The Workhouse
Despite the strict regime, the workhouse was not a prison and inmates could leave whenever they wanted. Inmates were not usually allowed to go out except in certain circumstances or to look for work. If they did abscond, they would be charged with theft of the workhouse uniform.
Usually notice of a wish to discharge from the workhouse would have to be given to the Governors. The process took a few hours, and their clothes returned to them from the stores. If a man with a family wanted to leave, his family would be required to leave too.
The Closure Of Bentley Workhouse
If, as we believe, Bentley workhouse was in operation in the early 1800's, then it is likely that it continued to operate until the new workhouse at Hexthorpe was built in 1837, following the passing of the New Poor Law in 1834.
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| Inmates of the Hexthorpe workhouse in the 1890's |
Once Bentley's inmates had been transferred to the new Union workhouse the Bentley premises would have likely been closed immediately.
Whether the building was occupied privately by anyone else in the intervening years before William Marsh bought it in 1868, we cannot be sure. The building is not named on the census records which makes it impossible to know.
Not Just Words On A Map
So, the 'Old Workhouse' is not just words on a map anymore. By looking at the history of the Mill Gate building, we discovered that it was once called Bentley Hall and built in the seventeenth century. We also found out about past owners and occupiers. The history of the poor laws gave an insight into when the Hall may have been used as a workhouse, and what type it was. We were also able to determine what workhouse life was like by looking at a similar workhouse in Doncaster.
Today we look back on workhouses as demeaning, cruel places, with about as much freedom as a prison, however, if you and your family were starving and couldn't afford the rent on your cottage, then you would be glad of such help. Thankfully, we have much better social care these days and the suffering of the paupers of the past is now a distant memory.
__________
Further reading:
Doncaster Workhouses
The History of the Workhouse by Peter Higginbotham
Alison Vainlo
First written 2017, updated 2020
