Catalogue description Folios 110-114. Workhouse Inspection Report Form from John Thomas Graves, Poor Law...

Folios 110-114. Workhouse Inspection Report Form from John Thomas Graves, Poor Law Inspector, to the Poor Law Board, reporting his inspection of the Kidderminster Poor Law Union Workhouse on 4 March 1862; includes details of medical provision, management of the school, the vagrant wards etc.

Enclosed copy of entry in the Kidderminster Poor Law Union visitors' book by T B Browne, Inspector of Schools. Browne hopes alterations will be made to the girls schoolroom which is dark with bad ventilation. The arrangement of the desks is also inconvenient. There is a high change over among the girls. He thinks it desirable that children under 4 do not attend school as they do not learn anything and get in the way of older children. He also advises that the children should not leave the workhouse for situations 'prematurely'.

Enclosed copy of entry in the Kidderminster Poor Law Union visitors' book by John Foster, Commissioner of Lunacy. There are 14 inmates classified insane. Edith Bishop is an insane epileptic, violent, excited and dirty and should be moved to an asylum. The rest are well cared for. Straw beds are still used but are kept clean and well filled. Any that were wet at night were carefully attended to. A bath chair is provided for Elizabeth Nicholls. An insane youth was waiting in the reception room to be taken to the asylum; such cases should not be brought first to the workhouse.

Annotated: reference to 35355/1861 is made regarding an entry in the visitors' book by the Commissioner in lunacy.

Also annotated: put by.

Further annotated: that the lighting and ventilation of the girls schoolroom have been improved JTG [John Thomas Graves, Poor Law Inspector].

Further annotated: Edith Bishop has been removed to the asylum. JTG.

[Folio 110 is a year guard].

Paper Number: 7268/1862.

Poor Law Union Number: 530.

Counties: Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Shropshire.