The main 19th-century workhouse in Newcastle upon Tyne, known as the Union Workhouse, was located on Westgate Road in Fenham. Built around 1839-1840 to replace smaller parish poor houses, it later became the Newcastle General Hospital. The site included a workhouse, infirmary, and workshops on a large plot of land.
The earliest settlement ( Pons Aelius as it was known ) was a bridgehead of the Roman world, Hadrian's Wall was the edge of an ancient empire, Northumbria was the cradle of Christianity and medieval Newcastle a town of huge importance.
The last workhouses in Britain officially closed in 1948, with the passing of the National Assistance Act, which established the modern welfare state and replaced the old Poor Law system, although many buildings were repurposed rather than immediately demolished. While the Local Government Act of 1929 abolished the system and led to workhouses being renamed, they continued operating in various forms until fully absorbed by new social services by 1948.
However, it seems that the Vallum stopped just west of Newcastle, where its role as a secondary line of defence was performed by the River Tyne. Newcastle Castle Keep is the oldest structure in the city, dating back to at least the 11th century.
Journey to Victorian Newcastle (Dreadful Slums and Horrible Work in North East England)
What was life really like in a workhouse?
The workhouse was home to 158 inhabitants - men, women and children - who were split up and forbidden from meeting. Those judged too infirm to work were called the "blameless" and received better treatment but the rest were forced into tedious, repetitive work such as rock breaking or rope picking.
The Cleveland Street workhouse is the most intact example of an 18th century workhouse institution left standing in London. Built between 1775 and 1778, it has been standing for over 235 years, and its historical merits include becoming a cause celebre in Victorian times and a pioneer in medical history.
The 'workhouse wail', an animal-like scream of pain and despair, was described by Henry Mayhew. Such misery is well described by Charlie Chaplin. Aged 7, his brother Sydney and mother entered Newington Workhouse in May 1896. They were fortunate to be able to leave after two months.
The harsh system of the workhouse became synonymous with the Victorian era, an institution which became known for its terrible conditions, forced child labour, long hours, malnutrition, beatings and neglect.
In theory, inmates were not allowed to leave the workhouse, except for specific reasons such as looking for work. If a person wished to discharge themselves then they had to give 'reasonable notice'.
The Old George Inn is widely considered Newcastle's oldest pub, dating back to 1582, known for its historical charm, cozy nooks, courtyard, and royal connections to King Charles I. Located on Cloth Market, it's a popular spot for traditional pub experiences, food, and live entertainment, attracting visitors seeking genuine history in the city.
Partially disabled men were occupied in the kitchen, along with the women, and doing some work around the house and yard. Able-bodied men were employed in stone breaking and able-bodied women were employed in doing the household chores, sewing, carding, knitting and spinning.
Why was it considered shameful to live in a workhouse?
It was considered shameful to live in a workhouse because you were poor/ it was embarrassing/ you couldn't support your family. 6. How were people punished if they broke the rules? People were sometimes punished by having to miss a meal or two.
They also had their own school-rooms, nurseries, chapels, fever wards and mortuaries. The inmates would sleep in huge dormitories on simple wooden or iron-framed beds. The bedding would often be a straw-filled mattress and cover.
Besides able-bodied paupers, Victorian workhouses were home to many elderly, sick and disabled people, who lived and worked in dire and prison-like conditions where diseases were rife. Although paupers were technically allowed to leave the workhouses, there was often nowhere else for them to go.
Punishments: Punishments inflicted by the master and the board included sending people to the refractory ward, and for children, slaps with the rod; or for more serious offences inmates were summoned to the Petty Sessions and in some cases jailed for a period of time.
Daily life in a workhouse followed a rigid routine. For the able-bodied, it typically began at 6am with washing, dressing and roll-call. Breakfast was at 6.30am and would be followed by work from 7am till 12 noon. After an hour's break for dinner came five more hours work, with supper at 6pm then bedtime at 8pm.
Mosley Street was the first in the UK to be lit by electric light when inventor Joseph Swan (from nearby Sunderland) tested his incandescent lamp there in 1879. Furthermore, Newcastle United's official photographer invented the windscreen wiper after driving back from the FA Cup Final in London in 1908 in the snow.
