Looking for information about Edinburgh City Poorhouse, 1871

Lanarkshire Lassie · Post by **Lanarkshire Lassie** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:00 pm

I am interested in finding out more about the above, poorhouse.

One of my gt grandfather's sisters, Isabella Connor,I believe, was born there 3rd July, 1871.

I say believe, as my gt grandfather, James Morrison, born Edinburgh 1866, and each of his siblings, appear to have parents William and Ann, marrying at completely different years.

With the above, Isabella, she is born and registered , using her mother's surname. And her father appears to have assumed the Connor surname too!

I am interested in finding out why my gt gt grandmother would be in a poorhouse, at the time of her daughter's birth.

Any suggestions, would be great.

Cheers

Gail

Ann In the UK · Post by **Ann In the UK** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:33 pm

Hi Gail,

I don't know about in Edinburgh but, in these pre NHS times, poor houses invariably had an infirmary attached, where poor people in the community (often covering quite a wide area) could go for medical treatment. This not only enabled the poor to gain free medical attention, it also enabled newly professionalised medics to get a foothold in otherwise suspicious, cash-strapped communities and allowed them to practice their new skills on unsuspecting guineapigs.

Regards,
Ann

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:44 pm

Hi Gail
You can find some info here:
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html ... urgh.shtml

Best wishes
Lesley

csa · Post by **csa** » Sat May 16, 2009 9:24 am

Hi

I found the Edinburgh City Archives were very helpful when I was looking for information about ancestors who had been in poorhouses in the area.
archives@edinburgh.gov.uk

Also there may be some information in the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh - you can search their site for document titles, and then follow up with a visit to view them.
www.nas.gov.uk
They can both recommend researchers who can look for you if you can't visit.

The Lothian Health Service Archive is also extremely helpful if you think any of your folk were in hospital in Edinburgh. A great aunt of mine died in tragic circumstances in a psychiatric hospital in 1947. After I had contacted the Lothian Health Service Archive, I was telephoned by the Clinical Director who kindly went over her medical records with me in a very sensitive way and then sent me a copy I couldn't believe it! It's always worth asking-you can be pleasantly surprised.
lhsa@ed.ac.uk

Good luck
Carolyn

Lanarkshire Lassie · Post by **Lanarkshire Lassie** » Sat May 16, 2009 10:46 am

Thanks everyone, for your input and suggestions.

You have given m a few new avenues to follow.

Many thanks

Gail

Ann In the UK · Post by **Ann In the UK** » Mon May 18, 2009 6:25 am

During the later part of the nineteenth century the level of medical care provided for workhouse inmates increased. The hospital wings of these workhouses increased in size and patients were admitted to the workhouse hospitals for treatment rather than being admitted as workhouse inmates. he workhouses often changed their name to 'institutions' after about 1913 to reflect this change in role and also because the name 'workhouse' carried a stigma.

http://www.mersey-gateway.org/server.ph ... terId=1010

Just before my grandfather died in 1977, he was admitted to hospital by the family Dr. But, completely out of character for this quiet man, he absolutely refused point blank to go to the one the Dr told the ambulance crew to take him to. It's only since we've been doing this research have we realise why. The one suggested used to be a workhouse infirmary and his own father had died there years before. Seems the stigma surrounding the place still hadn't died. Maybe that's one of the reasons they pulled it down a few years ago - it's an Asda now.