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Did workhouse paupers have occupations?

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Erika

Erika Report 13 Jun 2011 14:32

Hi All,

I have a marriage cert for someone in 1848. His father was recorded as a Grocer. As far as Im aware he was still alive as there was no 'deceased'.

I found a man who could possibly be his father as he was living close by. However this possible father was living in Chatham workhouse in 1841 and 1851 marked as a pauper.

I dont know much about workhouses and paupers but is it possible that he was still working?

Many thanks
Erika x :-D

GlitterBaby

GlitterBaby Report 13 Jun 2011 14:52

Some did show occupations but no idea if they were still working or it was their former occupation

Researching:
PLEASE DO NOT: send me information concerning your thread on the board as it should be posted on your request where all members can see it. PLEASE DO NOT: ask me for help with lookups as they should be placed on the boards to get the best possible result. PLEASE DO NOT: open your tree just because I have posted information on your thread as I will not be related. THANK YOU. Researching Carter, Cass and Walker in England. Researching Caven, McKill, Sutherland and Will in Scotland.

Erika

Erika Report 13 Jun 2011 15:00

I wasn't sure if they litterally lived of charity or whether they did go out to work.
Both years say pauper but he could have been working in 1848 at the time of the marriage. :-S

Janet 693215

Janet 693215 Report 13 Jun 2011 15:18

Of course if it was his Father he'd be unlikely to say his father's occupation was a pauper.

Kay????

Kay???? Report 13 Jun 2011 15:21


A fathers occupation is recorded even if its a past one,even now on British marriage certificates.


Dustman,--- Retired--------- I imagine back then *retirement*as such hadn't been invented. :-) :-)

lancashireAnn

lancashireAnn Report 13 Jun 2011 18:56

not all certificates recorded the father as deceased even if he was. I think it depended on the registrar and how he phrased the question eg ' father's name and occupation?' with no other question.

Researching:
Liverpool (Cartwright, Chambers, Miller), Todmorden (Sutcliffe, Mallison), Abergavenny (Watkins, Prosser)

Maureen

Maureen Report 14 Jun 2011 06:32

Hi Erika,

Workhouses were often just a bed for the night. Some people went out to work in the morning and came back to the workhouse in the evening for somewhere to sleep. Some were residents and worked in the workhouse, mainly women and children. In some cases there was a time limit on how long they could stay in the workhouse.

An excellent book on the workhouses is WORKHOUSE by Simon Fowler. Available from the National Archives. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Being listed as a pauper was just a description of being poor. You didn't have to live in a workhouse to be listed as pauper.

Go to www.workhouses.org.uk for heaps of information on them.