Alton Street

If this looks a little familiar, then remember that it was the same architect that built Ledbury and Hereford! (For general information about workhouse life, please see Hereford Union Workhouse)

 

 

 

Workhouses - Herefordshire - Ross on Wye - exterior

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alms Houses

Next door are the Alms Houses, endowed in 1612 by Thomas Webbe, a Llanwarne Carpenter.

 

 

Workhouses - Herefordshire - Ross on Wye - alms houses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Workhouse News from 1845

An inquest was held at the workhouse on the body of Mary Jones, 82, who had been receiving out-door relief. On 2nd December 1844 she walked from her home in Llangarren to Ross to apply for an increased allowance, which was granted. She was very infirm, and as she tried to walk home she became so lame and exhausted that she collapsed on the road, where she was found and taken home in a cart. She became so ill that she was confined to bed, and the guardians of the workhouse tried to persuade her to go in to the workhouse but she refused. After treatment from the parish surgeon she recovered somewhat, however Mr Garness one of the guardians, accompanied by his son and Thomas Lewis and Edward Tourney went and forcibly removed her to the workhouse without the usual medical certificate for the removal. Mary Jones had locked all the doors of her cottage, trying to keep them out, but they broke in and one holding her head and another her legs, they carried her out and placed her on some straw on a cart with a blanket………she protesting the whole time. “The poor creature suffered most severely from the cold, the frost being very intense during the day”. A few days later she died, and a medical officer’s opinion was that she had a diseased heart and her death may have been hastened by the sudden exposure to extreme cold. A jury returned a verdict of Manslaughter against Samuel Garness, the guardian, Thomas Garness his son, and Edward Tourney who were then committed to gaol for trial.

 

Ross Union Workhouse Staff and inmates 1841

Henry Smith 46 Master b. Herefordshire
Charlotte Smith 36 Wife, Matron b. Herefordshire
Mary Smith 13 Daughter
Catherine Smith 10 Daughter
Anna Halmon (?) 46 Nurse b. Herefordshire
Sarah Williams 48 Schoolmistress b. Herefordshire
Caroline Hodges 17
Richard Thurman 74
Michael Huff 7
Edward Hayward 78
Mary Powell 12
William Powell 9
John Nichols 72
Emma Roberts 9
Thomas Price 73
Thomas Jarrett 51
Robert Morgan 35
Jemima Ibel 48
George Ibel 8
John Lane 78
Humphrey Watkins 80
David Guymer 8
Emma Guymer 4
Elizabeth Harris 7
Mary Harris 4
Lucy Underwood 59
Henry Langford 15
Elizabeth Price 75
William Langford 10
William Morris 90
Hannah Symonds 20
James Symonds 2
Mary Gregg 14
Samuel Gregg 4
Thomas Watkins 63
Hannah Bent 15
Asenia Roberts 27
Elizabeth Cousel 38
Elizabeth Smallman 29
John Smallman 2
James Smallman 6
Richard Wheeler 70
William ? 23
John Hughes 68
Leah Hodges 28
Emma Hodges 3
Charlotte Hodges 2 mths
Lucy Mayo 14
Rachael Mayo 10
Eliza Blewett 23
Edward Jones 55
Henry Powell 11
Walter Blewett 2
Penelope Wood 36
Ellen Wood 2
John Powell 42
May Powell 14
Hannah Powell 11
Hannah Powell 24
Roger Roberts 9
William Whittingham 20 (?)
Caroline Whittingham 8
Ann Whittingham 9
Elizabeth Nelson 8
Edward Nelson 6
John Price 30
John Sherwood 9
Mary Grapp 12
Mary Williams 40
Mary Williams 9
Elizabeth Williams 8
Caroline Williams 6
Henry Williams 5
Cornelius Williams 1
Hannah Goode 34
William Goode 1 mth

 

Ross Union Workhouse Staff 1851 census

Henry Smith 49 Master b. Much Marcle, Herefordshire
Charlotte Smith 43 Matron b. Waddon, Gloucestershire
Mary Smith 22 Daughter b. Painswick, Gloucestershire
Catherine Smith 20 Daughter b. Painswick, Gloucestershire
Sarah Williams 54 Widow, Schoolmistress, b. Ruardean, Gloucestershire
John Nugent 67 Porter b. Pembrokeshire, Wales

 

 

Ross Union Workhouse Staff 1861 census

William Argyle 38 Master b. Abingdon, Berkshire
Mary Argyle 39 Matron b. Highworth, Wiltshire
Frances J. Sanger 24 Schoolmistress b. Lewes, Sussex
Thomas Mills 53 Porter b. Hereford
Elizabeth Jordan 33 Nurse

Ross Union Workhouse Staff 1871

William Argyle 48 Master b. Abingdon, Berkshire
Mary Argyle 49 Matron b. Highworth, Wiltshire
Burton Watkins 26 Deputy Master b. Monmouth, Monmouthshire
Ellen Amelia Janek 21 Schoolmistress b. Gloucestershire
Fanny Clark 28 Nurse b. Renfrewshire
Thomas Owarez 30 Porter b. Middlesex

Ross Union Workhouse Staff 1881

Edward Gower 36 Master b. Horsham, Sussex
Emma Gower 32 Matron b. Gravesend, Kent
Mary Bradshaw 21 Schoolmistress b. Bristol
Mary Christy 27 Nurse b. Blakeney, Gloucestershire
William Handman 39 Porter b. Kempley, Gloucestershire

Ross Union Workhouse Staff 1891

Charles King 38 Master b. Buckinghamshire
Ruth King 36 Matron b. Thetford, Norfolk
Edith King 14 Daughter b. Lambeth, London
May King 11 Daughter b. Lambeth, London
Ethel King 9 Daughter b. Lambeth, London
Sarah Ann Hales 31 Schoolmistress b. Bicester, Oxfordshire
Margaret Stephens 71 Nurse b. Scotland
Peter Friend 39 Porter b. Hatherleigh, Devon
Grace Friend 34 Cook b. Cornwall
Annie Brumbley 26 Assistant Matron, b. Birmingham
Arthur Woollard Button 17 Assistant Teacher b. Norforlk

Ross Union Workhouse Staff 1901

G. Morgan 60 Master b. Gloucestershire
Caroline Morgan 67 Matron b. Somerset
William Price 50 Porter b. Leominster, Herefordshire
Elizabeth Shilrock 48 Industrial Trainer b. Cradley, Herefordshire
Ada M. Powell 43 Nurse b. Somerset
Maude Lewis 26 Nurse b. Monmouthshire
Alice Hooper 22 Maid b. Birmingham
Daisy Batten 17 Assistant to Matron, b. Stoke Newington, London

Ross Union Workhouse Staff 1911

Ralph Hankins 26 Master b. Newent, Gloucestershire
May Hankins 24 Matron b. Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire
John Harrison 37 Porter b. Scarborough, Yorkshire
Ellen Harrison 21 Cook b. Norwich, Norfolk
Elizabeth Shilrock 57 Industrial Trainer b. Cradley, Herefordshire
Margaret Pope 48 Laundress b. King Weston, Somerset
Ada Knight 30 Sick Nurse b. Normanton, Yorkshire