Description

Admin History:

The first mention of a workhouse in Hull, which was run by the Corporation, can be found in 1594. This arrangement would continue on and off for a number of years despite the terms of the 1601 Poor Law Act, which had passed the responsibility for poor relief onto parishes. For Hull, these were the parishes of Trinity and St. Mary's. Hull would later combine these 2 parishes in terms of poor relief, under a local act of 1698 (9 & 10 Will. 111, c.47), and from 1699 the new Incorporation for the Poor took over the existing workhouse. From 1834 the administration of the Poor Law changed and parishes were grouped together into larger 'unions' and were managed by boards of guardians elected by ratepayers. This new Hull Board would continue as the Incorporation for the Poor and would eventually merge with the Corporation of Hull in 1930 under the Local Government Act of 1929 (19 & 20 Geo.V, c.17).

The first workhouse building, known as Charity Hall, was originally on Whitefriargate. There it remained, much altered and added to until 1852, when a new building was opened on Anlaby Road. With the advent of the National Health Service, it was renamed the Western General Hospital, before becoming the site of the re-located Hull Royal Infirmary.

Description:

Minutes of the Board and Committees 1698-1750, 1907-1930 (60 vols).

Annual ward assessments and pension lists 1692-1730 (2 vols)

Workhouse admission and discharge books 1729-1759, 1842-1848 (2 vols)

Poor rate assessments 1724-1750, 1826 (bundles for eight years and 1 vol)

Ledgers 1894-1930 (40 vols)

Salary receipt books 1901-1904 (2 vols)

Staff service registers 1900-1937 (6 vols)