Workhouse / Hospital

The former workhouse in the 1980s
The former Workhouse (later Winslow Hospital) in the 1980s. The building at the front is the Master's House, designed by Sir George Gilbert-Scott.

Article by Glenys Warlow on poor relief in Winslow and the history of the Workhouse: workhouse.pdf

Before the Poor Law Reform Act of 1834, towns such as Winslow had their own workhouses. An Account of Several Work-houses for Employing and Maintaining the Poor (1725) lists Winslow as having a workhouse. A parliamentary report of 1777 says there was space for 20 inmates. The building described below, perhaps on the same site as the earlier one, was on the east side of the High Street, approximately where nos.56-58 now stand.

1787, 5 May: Northampton Mercury
WANTED immediately, A sober Person in some Manufacturing Business, who is willing to contract for the Maintenance and Employment of the POOR of the Parish of WINSLOW, in the County of Bucks, till Easter-Tuesday, next. He is to reside and board in the Work-House, and see that the Poor are properly employed.
Proposals will be received by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of Winslow aforesaid.
The Building intended to employ the Poor in has been lately erected, and consists of seven Bay*.
N.B. a Man with his Wife only will not be objected to.

* A bay was the distance between vertical crucks or main timbers. Such bays were from 12 to 15 feet wide, so this newly constructed Work-House would have been 84-105 feet long.

This building was replaced in 1821, when the former George Inn next to The Bell was bought by the parish overseers.

Arthur Clear, The Kings Village in Demesne: or a Thousand Years of Winslow Life (1894), p.117
At the back of the Bell hotel is a block of buildings now used as a malthouse, stables, etc. These at one time formed the Parish workhouse, Straw Plaiting School for boys, and a Millhouse in which the unemployed were set to work grinding corn by hand; here also was a lock up for misdemeanants.

1832 Land Tax
Parish Officers (owners), Geo Grace (occupier): Workhouse, 15s 0d

1835, 28 Feb: Northampton Mercury
WINSLOW WORKHOUSE
WANTED, a MAN and his WIFE (without incumbrance), to reside in and MANAGE the PARISH WORKHOUSE of WINSLOW, Bucks. The man will also be required to superintend the Surplus Labourers, to keep the Parish Accounts, and to act generally in assisting the Overseers. - Respectable references, as to competency, &c. must be given.
   A Vestry will be held at the Workhouse, on Wednesday the 11th of March next, at Eleven o'clock in the forenoon, for the purpose of taking into consideration such offers as may be then or previously made.
   Letters (post paid), stating terms & references, or requiring further information, to be addressed to the Overseers, or Messrs. Willis & Son, Solicitors, Winslow.
   24th February, 1835.

When Winslow became the centre of its own Poor Law Union with a statutory workhouse (built to the north of the then High Street in an extension which became known as Union Street), the old building was redundant, as well as the 42 cottages which had evidently been used for outdoor relief.

1837, 30 March: Auction
All those extensive feehold premises known as the "Old Workhouse" in Winslow, comprising a substantially brick built and tiled house, containing 2 good parlours, hall, sitting room, 6 large bedrooms, pantry, kitchen and wash-house, large bakehouse with excellent oven and brewing copper, capital dry arched cellars; also a large building used as a school and store rooms, with 4 bedrooms over; a newly erected "Mill-house" with convenient lofts, 40 feet by 16 feet, stabling for 8 horses, and covered gateway, surrounding three large yards, conveniently divided by brick walls; a very productive walled garden planted with fruit trees; lead pump etc. Also adjoining are 3 cottages, each containing sitting room, 2 bedrooms and cellar, all situated in the centre of the town of Winslow etc.

1837, 27 Oct: Auction (from Clear, p.106)
Cottages at Winslow, Bucks, to be sold by auction by Dudley & Son, at the Bell Inn, in Winslow, on Friday, the 27th October, 1837, by order of the Poor Law Commissioners, and of the Board of Guardians of the Winslow Union. 39 Cottages in 12 lots.

The new Workhouse was run by a master and matron, and the Guardians later advertised for a schoolmaster:

1840, 9 May: Bucks Herald
The Guardians of the poor of the WINSLOW UNION wish to engage with a young Single Man as Schoolmaster for the Union Workhouse. He will be required to reside constantly in the house, (where he will be provided with board and lodging) to instruct the boys in reading, writing, and the principles of the Christian religion, and to assist the Master of the Workhouse in the performance of his duties, and in the maintenance of order and due subordination in the house.
   Testimonials to character and competency will be required.
   Candidates for the situation are requested to attend the Board of Guardians at their weekly meeting, to be held at the Union Workhouse, in Winslow, on Monday, the 18th of May instant, at Ten o’Clock in the forenoon, or, previously thereto, to send testimonials with specimens of writing, to Mr. DAVID THOMAS WILLIS, Solicitor, Winslow, the Clerk to the Union.
   Winslow, 4th May, 1840.

The requirement for a young man was evidently taken seriously, as the Workhouse Schoolmaster recorded in the 1841 census was Samuel Jones, aged 15.

The establishment of the Winslow Union led to a dispute between the constituent parishes about how much they should contribute:

1841, 13 Feb: Bucks Herald
The rating of the Winslow Union Workhouse, which caused so much commotion amongst the Guardians of the neighbouring parishes in which the Union stands, is, we are happy to hear, at length amicably arranged.

1841, 3 April: Bucks Herald
The amount of assessment of the Workhouse, of the Winslow Union, which has so long been in agitation with that and the other parishes of the Union, has now every appearance of speedily being brought to a decision, by the appointment of two competent persons to arbitrate between the conflicting parties.

1841, 7 Aug: Bucks Herald
WINSLOW
The amount of assessment on the new workhouse in this union, still continues to furnish matter for contention. The parishioners, desirous of pacific measures, have propounded a proposition to the other parishes by which they are willing to make a great concession on the sum originally levied; but the inflexible tenacity of position taken up by the latter, appears to leave no alternative than an appeal to judicial proceedings.

Arthur Clear: A Thousand Years of Winslow Life (1888), p.18 on the poor rate

Another aspect of that time is certainly a more pleasing one, for the number of destitute poor must have been very few, and the demands of the Rate Collector correspondingly small, as the following extracts from the Overseers' Accounts will show :-"Receipts and Disbursments of the Overseers of the Poor for the Parish of Winslow for the year 1679. - Receipts £45 4s. 4d.; Disburst £44 6s. 0d." "Receipts and Disbursments of Peter Lowndes and Robert Gibbs, Overseers of the Poor for the Parish of Winslow for the year 1703.- Recd. £93 14s. Id.; Disburst £95 15s. 10½d" …

Just previous to the introduction of the new Poor Law, the Poor Rates at Winslow had increased to 17s. in the Pound, and the Overseer paid the Poor with a pair of pistols lying by his side ready to protect the cash and himself.

In 1850, there was a scandal about the Master of the Workhouse misappropriating funds, which ended up with a case at the Bucks Assizes:

1850, 30 Nov: Bucks Herald: Winslow Special Petty Session, 25 Nov
James Spicer, late master of the Winslow Union Workhouse, was brought up in custody of Mr R. Ossitt, high constable of Winslow, charged with having on the 18th of April, 1850, at Winslow, feloniously offered, uttered, and disposed of a certain receipt, purporting to be given by one Peter Fisher, to the Guardians of Winslow Union, for £57 10s., with intend to defraud the Guardians, knowing the same to be forged.
D.T. Willis Esq., Clerk to the Union, on oath proved – That at a meeting of the Guardians in December last he, as clerk, issued an order for Peter Fisher to deliver 50 tons of coals at the Workhouse. That the order was delivered to James Spicer with other orders then issued. That James Spicer debited himself in his books with receiving 50 tons of coals. At a meeting held at the Board, February 4, Spicer produced a bill, written by himself, for the 50 tons of coals, as being due to Peter Fisher. The bill was allowed and marked by the Chairman, and a cheque for the amount drawn at the time on the Treasurer of the Union. Witness proved the Union vouchers; the bill and receipt signed “Peter Fisher.” That Spicer called at his office, either on the 29th or 30th of April, and afterwards sent a written resignation of his office, and left Winslow about the 1st of May. That till Spicer left, witness had no doubt of the genuine character of the receipt. On May 2, in consequence of information received, he, as Clerk to the Magistrates, filled up a warrant for prisoner’s apprehension, which was signed by a Magistrate, and delivered for execution to a police officer.

Benjamin Cole, clerk to Mr. Willis, stated – That he remembered Spicer calling at Mr. Willis’s office on the 4th of February, after the Board had broken up, and asked for Fisher’s cheque. That he wrote a stamped receipt for the amount, and delivered the receipt, bill, and cheque to the prisoner. That the receipt was then unsigned, and he gave it to Spicer to get it signed by Fisher. That Spicer afterwards delivered to him the bill and receipt, the latter being then signed “Peter Fisher.”

Mr. John King, treasurer of the Union, produced a cheque for £57 10s., payable to Peter Fisher, or bearer, drawn by the Guardians of the Union, and dated February 4, 1850. He received the cheque from Spicer on the 7th of February last, and gave him the amount.

Peter Fisher said he had supplied coals to the Union for the last six years. That he delivered coals at various times from Nov. 30, 1849, to April 27, 1850 – sixty tons at the Workhouse. That he had examined the receipt for £57 10s., dated Feb. 4, then produced. That he did not sign it, nor authorise any person to sign it on his account. The signature I swear is not in my hand-writing. In consequence of information he had received, that Spicer had left the Union, he came to Winslow and went to Spicer’s house to ask him for the money for the coals he delivered at the Workhouse. Spicer said he had not it. Not being satisfied, witness went again, and threatened to go to one of the Guardians and ask him for the money. Spicer said, “If you do I am a ruined man, for I have received the money, and paid it away all but £15;” and he offered to pay me that sum, and get a bond from his father-in-law for the remainder. This witness refused.

Prisoner on being asked if he wished to say anything, said he should reserve his defence for a future occasion. He was then fully committed to take his trial at the next Assizes at Aylesbury for the county of Buckingham.

1850, 14 December: Bucks Herald
Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire Audit District. Winslow Union.
I, the undersigned Alfred Hayward, Auditor of the above named District, do hereby give Notice, that I shall hold my Audit of the Accounts of the Winslow Union, and of the several parishes and places therein, and of the officers thereof, for the half-year ended on the 29th Day of September, 1850, to commence on Monday, the15th Day of December 1850, at Eleven o’Clock in the Forenoon at the Board Room of the Workhouse of the Union aforesaid; when and where all Persons who by law are bound to account at such Audit, are required to attend and to submit all Books, Documents, Bills and Vouchers containing or relating to their accounts or to monies assessed for and applicable to the Relief of the Poor.
Dated this 2nd Day of December, 1850. Alfred Hayward.

1851, 15 March: Bucks Herald
James Spicer, carpenter and joiner, was indicted for having on the 18th day of April last, at the parish of Winslow, uttered, disposed of and put off a certain receipt, purporting to be given by Peter Fisher to the Guardians of the Poor of the Winslow Union, for the sum of fifty-seven pounds and ten shillings, with intent to defraud the said Guardians.

Mr. Wells conducted the case for the prosecution, and Mr Power for the prisoner.

David Thomas Willis – Am clerk to the Winslow Union. Know the prisoner. Mr Peter Fisher was our coal merchant. The Board of Guardians issued an order for some coals, which I gave to Spicer. Saw Fisher on the 2nd of May. I produce a bill, which I received from the prisoner. Showed Mr. Fisher the paper. There was a warrant issued for the apprehension of the prisoner, who had absconded. Some time afterwards he surrendered to a friend of his, who received the reward offered.

Peter Fisher – Am a coal merchant. Sent 60 tons of coal to the Union, on the 31st of January. Applied to the prisoner for payment in the latter end of April. Showed this paper to the board of Guardians It is not my handwriting. At that time £70 10s. was due to me.
Cross-examined – Have dealt with the Board six years. Have received my money through Spicer, who used to get it from Mr. Willis for me. Always signed the receipt myself.

Benjamin Coles, clerk to Mr. Willis, deposed to giving Spicer the check and receipt, which he received back from him.
Mr. King, treasurer to the Union, received the check from the prisoner, which he cashed.
Verdict – Guilty. Sentence – Two years’ hard labour, on hearing which the prisoner fell down insensible in the dock with great violence.

Note that in the above report Spicer's position as Master is not mentioned. In the 1851 census James Spicer was in Aylesbury Gaol, where he was recorded as a carpenter & joiner aged 30, born at St Albans.

The next master of the Workhouse was William Vincer Minter, appointed in 1850, who served until 1894, assisted successively by two wives and several of his children.

These are the residents of the Union Workhouse in the 1851 census, transcribed by the Buckinghamshire Family History Society. Please note that the alphabetical order is rather loose.

Winslow Workhouse 1851
Name		Age	Occupation	Place of birth
William Minter	Mar	31	Master of Workhouse	Margate Kent
Mary Ann Minter	Mar	26	Matron of Workhouse	Southwark Surrey
Frederick Meads	Unm	17	Schoolmaster of Workhouse	Box Moor Hertford
John Hill	Unm	26	Porter of Workhouse	Stony Stratford
James Ash	Wid	54	Pauper Ag. Lab.	Swanbourne
Robert Ash	Unm	15	Pauper Scholar	Swanbourne
Jane Ash	Unm	12	Pauper Scholar	Swanbourne
Joseph Brown	Wid	70	Pauper Tailor	London Middlesex
John Bates	Unm	64	Pauper Ag.Lab.	Drayton Parslow
Alice Burt	Unm	73	Pauper Lace Maker	Great Horwood
Joseph Clark	Unm	87	Pauper Ag.Lab.	North Marston
Jemima Chetwood	Wid	42	Domestic Servant	Richmond Surrey
William Eeeles	Wid	67	Formerly Farmer Pauper	Cranwell Waddesdon
William Faulkner	Unm	48	Pauper Ag.Lab.	Whaddon
Harry Fareman	Unm	14	Pauper Scholar	Little Horwood
Ambrose Fareman	Unm	9	Pauper Scholar	Little Horwood
Thomas Goodger	Wid	73	Pauper formerly Ag.Lab.	Winslow
John Grace	Wid	72	Pauper formerly Ag.Lab.	Whaddon
William Gilks	Mar	32	Pauper Ag.Lab.	Granborough
Elizabeth Gilks	Mar	24	Pauper Lace Maker	Mursley
Catherine Gilks		4	Pauper Scholar	Granborough
Mary Gilks		1	Pauper	Granborough
William Gibbs		8	Pauper Scholar	Little Horwood
Titus Hurst	Unm	82	Pauper formerly Ag.Lab.	Mursley
Elizabeth Edens	Unm	71	Pauper Lace Maker	Winslow
Catherine Hurst	Wid	86	Pauper Lace Maker	Stony Stratford
Thomas Hurst	Unm	16	Pauper Ag.Lab.	Mursley
Joseph Hogston		12	Pauper Scholar	Dunton
Jesse Hall		10	Pauper Scholar	Great Horwood
Daniel Hall		13	Pauper Scholar	Great Horwood
George Illing	Wid	72	Pauper Ag.Lab.	Little Horwood
Elizabeth Illing	Unm	22	Pauper Lace Maker	Little Horwood
Joseph Illing		9m	Pauper	Little Horwood
James McLellen	Wid	42	Pauper f'ly Attorney's Clerk	Paisley Renfrew
Robert McLellen		9	Pauper Scholar	Glasgow Lanark
John Lambourn	Unm	60	Pauper Ag.Lab.	North Marston
William Ludgate	Unm	68	Pauper Ag.Lab.	Swanbourne
Elizabeth Linny	Wid	33	Pauper Lace Maker	Westcot
Elizabeth Labrum	Mar	32	Pauper Lace Maker	Mursley
Mary Labrum		12	Pauper Scholar	Mursley
George Labrum		10	Pauper Scholar	Stewkley
Thomas Labrum		7	Pauper Scholar	Stewkley
Jane Labrum		4	Pauper Scholar	Simpson
John Labrum		1	Pauper Scholar	Simpson
Henry Linney	Unm	15	Pauper Scholar	North Marston
Robert Linney		13	Pauper Scholar	North Marston
Thomas Lambourn	Unm	16	Pauper Ag.Lab.	North Marston
John Lake	Mar	36	Pauper Ag.Lab.	Stewkley
Mary Lake	Mar	33	Pauper Lace Maker	Sherington
Henry Lake		8	Pauper Scholar	Sherington
Edwin Lake		4	Pauper Scholar	Newport Pagnell
Mark Norris	Wid	72	Pauper formerly Baker	Winslow
Elizabeth Noxon		8	Pauper Scholar	Stewkley
William Noxon	Mar	38	Pauper Ag.Lab.	Stewkley
Ann Noxon	Mar	37	Pauper Plaiter	Stewkley
Ann Noxon		10	Pauper Scholar	Stewkley
Martha Noxon		7	Pauper Scholar	Stewkley
William Noxon		4	Pauper Scholar	Stewkley
George Noxon		1	Pauper	Stewkley
Catherine Norman	Unm	55	Pauper Lace Maker	East Claydon
Lydia Norman	Unm	18	Pauper Domestic Servant	East Claydon
William Norman	Unm	16	Ag.Lab.	East Claydon
Sarah Norman	Unm	16	Pauper Lace Maker	Granborough
Eliza Pitkin	M	32	Pauper Domestic Servant	Stewkley
Eliza Pitkin		12	Pauper Scholar	Granborough
John Pitkin		8	Pauper Scholar	Mursley
William Pitkin		5	Pauper Scholar	Mursley
William Payne		12	Pauper Scholar	Little Horwood
William Radwell	Wid	83	Pauper formely Weaver	East Claydon
William Ratlage	Unm	63	Pauper formerly Shepherd	Stewkley
Caroline Reynolds	Unm	12	Pauper Scholar	Little Horwood
Thomas Sharp	Wid	58	Pauper Ag.Lab.	Dunton
George Smith	Unm	21	Pauper Ag.Lab.	Winslow
Mary Smith	Wid	79	Pauper Soldier's Widow	Fritwell Oxon
Charles Spooner	Unm	37	Pauper Ag.Lab.	Drayton Parslow
Eliza Vickers	Unm	29	Pauper Lace Maker	Great Horwood
Thomas Vicker		2	Pauper Scholar	Newport Pagnell
Matthew Warr	Unm	48	Pauper Ag. Lab.	North Marston
James Walker	Unm	38	Pauper Ag. Lab.	Winslow
Caroline Walker	Unm	29	Pauper Lace Maker	Winslow
Georgiana Walker		5	Pauper Scholar	Winslow
Selenda Walker		2	Pauper Scholar	Winslow
John Bradbury	Unm	67	Pauper Ag. Lab.	Mursley

1861: Winslow Workhouse in the Census (transcribed by Glenys Warlow; PDF file of 28 KB)

1871: Winslow Workhouse in the Census (transcribed by Glenys Warlow; PDF file of 32 KB)

1872: The land of milk and honey

Introduction by Ed Grimsdale

The cold, wet years experienced in North Bucks and throughout England during the 1860s were accompanied by severe outbreaks of cattle plague – mainly rinderpest. Crops failed, and the scarcity of food increased prices. Times were hard not only for agricultural labourers but also for their masters, or employers. The labour force contracted, and that situation was exacerbated by the gradual introduction of mechanised implements, such as the steam ploughs created by Ricketts and Beard at the Castle Iron Works in Buckingham. In their desperation to avoid the ignominy of the workhouse, labourers and their families left their homes in search of work. Below is the beginning of a fascinating letter, perhaps a rant, from a farmer in Devon. What a shame that it was published in the South West. Had it been sent to the Bucks Herald, the side-effects being felt by Mr Minter and the Guardians of Winslow’s workhouse might have evaporated. The letter suggests that the Winslow Workhouse may have been a more attractive option than others in the area under the regime of Mr Minter and his family. Word of mouth may have spread the message from tramp to tramp that it was worth going an extra mile or two to enjoy the delights of the Winslow tramp ward.

Daily Western Times, 1 Nov 1872

SLAPTON
To the Editor of The Daily Western Times
Sir, - I see in your yesterday’s issue an account of the Agricultural Labourers. At the meeting of the Winslow Board of Guardians on Wednesday, Mr Minter, master of the Workhouse, stated that if the applications for admission to the tramp ward should continue as numerous as they have lately the accommodation would have to be increased. On Sunday last no less than twenty agricultural labourers were admitted, some of them accompanied by their wives and children. They stated that they had gone north in search of employment, but had been unsuccessful, and were making their way as best as they could to their native places in the southern counties, which they had left in the hope of bettering their condition. …

[The rest of the letter is about the good conditions enjoyed by the writer's own employees]

A LARGE EMPLOYER

1876: Arson at Winslow Workhouse (section by Ed Grimsdale)

The parents of James Price deserted him in London. Sometime afterwards, James became an inmate of Winslow Workhouse at the age of 13. On 26 Sep 1876, according to the Master of the House, Mr Minter, James had been given work in the Old Men’s ward alongside a smaller boy called Higgins. Hearing the sound of a fire alarm at 9.45am, the Master searched the East Ward and at its furthest end discovered the seat of the fire: six pillows, two mattresses and some beds were alight.

W. Higgins, a boy of 10 years, told Warwick Assizes that he saw Price enter the room, strike matches and put them under the mattresses. Because he was afraid of being hit by the older prisoner, Higgins didn’t tell anyone at the time. Elizabeth Marks, an inmate, and the Matron confirmed that they saw Price, out of bounds, around the East Ward before the fire started.

That was sufficient to convict James, although a statement from him had been read out denying his involvement. The Jury recommended mercy on account of Price’s age. The Judge called James “mischievous” and “wicked”. His sentence was a comparatively harsh one: a fortnight’s imprisonment to be followed by a five year term in a reformatory, but firstly he was to be given twelve strokes of the birch.

The Bucks Herald reported that when James heard the Judge ordering the flogging, he burst out crying, and was led sobbing from the dock. Later, his Lordship remitted the flogging and enlarged the term of imprisonment to three weeks so that James would be “eligible” for a reformatory.

(Incidentally, this was one of the first group of “Bucks” cases to be tried at Warwick after the introduction of the Winter Assizes Act that grouped Bucks, Beds, Northants & Warws together as Winter Assizes County no.5.)

Relative workhouse costs (from a Parliamentary Return, year to Lady Day, 1879, compiled by Ed Grimsdale)

Buckinghamshire Union	% of Paupers	Per Capita Maintenance
Eton	3.0	£5	1s	9.75d
Aylesbury	3.5	£6	19s	1.75d
Newport Pagnell	3.6	£6	0s	5.75d
Winslow	3.7	£6	0s	2d
Amersham	4.9	£5	2s	10.5d
Wycombe	5.2	£5	2s	9.25d
Buckingham	6.2	£6	0s	2.75d
Comparative figures across the 3 Unions within Oxfordshire
Oxford	2.7	£6	16s	1.75d
Bicester	3.2	£5	1s	7d
Banbury	4.9	£5	9s	9d

Baseline Figures (1871 Census) across England & Wales

The ratio of (workhouse) paupers to the population was 1:28 (3.5%).
Average cost per head of maintaining paupers was £5 8s 5d
(£1 = 20s ; 1s = 12d )

1881: Winslow Workhouse in the Census (transcribed by Glenys Warlow; PDF file of 32 KB)

In 1894 there was controversy when William Vincer Minter retired as Master of the Workhouse, aged 75 and after 44 years' service, and the Board of Guardians refused to give him a gratuity.

7 March, 1903, Bucks Herald
WINSLOW UNION WORKHOUSE
The following address has been presented to the Master and Matron by the Willesden Inmates:-
“We the undersigned Willesden Inmates of the above Institution, desire to express our grateful thanks for the kind, liberal, and considerate treatment we have received from you during our the time we have been under your care, viz., four years and a half. With the most sincere feelings of regard and esteem, we beg to subscribe ourselves,
yours most respectfully.
[Here follows the signatures of sixty male and female inmates.]
Union Workhouse, Winslow, Bucks
3rd March, 1903”

Later more Willesden paupers were sent to Winslow Workhouse without, perhaps, the same satisfaction for in August 1907 there was a report that six had discharged themselves from Winslow and returned to Willesden. Their excuse “the tea was too weak” was regarded as lame, and four of them were returned to Winslow with a stipulation that the gang leader should have his beer ration removed for a month.

19 Nov 1904, Bucks Herald
“THE WORKHOUSE TAINT”
The Clerk [of the Board of Guardians, Mr T.P. Willis] suggested, in accordance with the proposals of the Registrar-General, that children born in the Workhouse should be registered as having been born in Buckingham-road. The Chairman [Mr J. Hedges, acting] thought this would be satisfactory and was what was done in most Unions. Mr [W.] Norman proposed that that should be the style of registration adopted. He thought it would be better than some high-sounding name, which would cause inquiries to be made. The motion was seconded by Mr [G.] Clarke, and carried.

19 Sep 1908, Bucks Herald
BOARD OF GUARDIANS
Mr T. Biggs (Chairman of the Board and Winslow R.D.C.) read a letter which he had received from Mr. Barton, auditor, stating that he proposed to surcharge him, as Chairman, with the sum of £36 5s 6d [£36.28], the cost of the beer issued to paupers during the half-year ended at Lady-day last. Mr. Biggs said as long as he held the position of Chairman, and if he should be surcharged in this case, he would never sign another cheque for tea, tobacco, or snuff, because he believed that beer was more of a necessity, and had greater sustenance in it than either of the other things. The Clerk [Mr T.P.Willis] said the beer was issued in accordance with the order book of the medical man, and all that the Chairman of the Board had to do was to initial the entries in the medical man’s book. But the beer question had been in dispute for some times past, and it had now been decided to take the decision of the Local Government Board upon it.

24 Dec 1925, Nottingham Evening Post
Inmates of Winslow Workhouse are to have their own cinema.

2 Jan 1926, Tamworth Herald
FOX'S ADVENTURE
The staff and inmates of Winslow Workhouse were considerably alarmed on Boxing Day by the appearance of a large fox. The animal, which was being hunted by the Whaddon Chase pack, rushed through the building and disappeared. Some hours afterwards it was found in the cook’s bedroom, where it had apparently been asleep on the bed. In its attempt to escape the animal became wedged in a small window. Through this it was pushed by the Master and Porter of the workhouse. It fell a distance of 26ft on to the roof of a conservatory, smashing two panes of glass and made off to a cover nearby. The incidents were watched by several hundred people.

The hunt met in Winslow market place early in the morning and quickly ran a fox to earth. After it had been unearthed and killed a fresh line was picked up at Addington, two miles away. The fox ran straight to Winslow. It crossed the railway line, narrowly escaping a train, and entered the workhouse garden. It ran up the garden path, and entered the front door.

As the animal rushed through the hall, it knocked down a nurse who was carrying an armful of Christmas parcels. Thinking it was a mad dog, she ran out of the building, shouting for help. [The Dundee Courier added, "Meanwhile, the fox ran out by another door, squirmed through some iron railings, leaving part of its coat behind, and gained the woodpile."]

The fox was next seen in an adjoining garden, belonging to Dr Leapingwell, where it took shelter under a large stack of wood. It was not possible to dislodge it, and the hunt was called off. [The Dundee Courier commented, "But, Reynard won, and Lord Dalmeny, the master of the hunt, finally decided to leave him and go to a near-by spinney for another draw."]

Nothing more was seen of the fox until five o’clock in the evening, when the Master of the workhouse heard screams from an upper room. It appeared that the animal had doubled back to the workhouse and, entering the cook’s bedroom, had gone asleep on the bed. Later in the afternoon, when the cook opened the bedroom door, the fox jumped out into the room and knocked her down. She screamed for help, and locked herself in the room.

The fox then ran upstairs into a dormitory where a girl was filling a hot-water bottle. As soon as she saw the fox, she dropped the hot-water bottle and screamed. The animal, in attempting to jump through a small window on the top floor, became wedged in it. The workhouse Master and Porter who had run upstairs, pushed the fox through the window. It fell onto the roof of a conservatory below, a distance of 26 feet, and made off for cover nearby.

Lord Dalmeny, Master of the Whaddon Chase, interviewed later, said that he heard nothing of the exploits of the fox. "When we lost the fox in Dr. Leapingwell’s garden, we thought no more about it," he said. "We were ten minutes behind it all the way, and did not ever catch sight of it. I am amazed to hear of its adventures."

Board of Guardians outside the Master's House
The Board of Guardians and staff outside the Master's House
Photograph by J.H. Turnham, undated (1930s?)
The man in the centre of the back row with a white moustache is William Norris Midgley, the Clerk

Hospital

Winslow Hospital (The Heart of a Bucks Market Town) was written by the late Dr Peter Rudd in 1984 and is reproduced here by permission of his family. It describes the origins of the Workhouse, how it changed to a Public Assistance institution in the 1930s, and then a hospital from 1946 onwards, with wards for geriatric and "mental defective" patients, a short-lived maternity unit, and out-patient facilities, until it closed in 1978 and was largely demolished in 1983. It also includes a foreword about Dr Rudd himself by V.E. Lloyd Hart. Click on the image below to read the pamphlet in PDF format (581 KB):

Workhouse / Hospital

Winslow Workhouse 1851

1872: The land of milk and honey

Relative workhouse costs (from a Parliamentary Return, year to Lady Day, 1879, compiled by Ed Grimsdale)

Hospital