Food Rations in the Workhouse

Food rations for Bromyard were much the same as elsewhere in other Workhouses, and they were extremely basic, as decreed by the Poor Law Act.
Breakfast – 3lbs 8oz bread plus 10 ½ pints of gruel to last the week, although the women were allocated 13oz less bread.
Dinner – for two days there was 8 oz bacon plus 2lbs of potatoes; for two more days there were 2 pints of soup, l lb 6oz bread, and for the last three days l lb 5 oz bread and 6 oz cheese.
Supper – for the week, 2lbs 1oz bread and 10 ½ oz of cheese.
Again, the women were given the same as the men but less, and the elderly were allowed some tea, butter and sugar instead of gruel.

Disease in the Workhouse

Bromyard Workhouse was not immune to outbreaks of disease, and in 1893 Smallpox was brought into the Workhouse – presumed by tramps – and it was not long before a cottage half a mile from the workhouse was turned into an isolation hospital to deal with such outbreaks.

News from the Workhouse

Advertisement for Schoolmistress

An advertisement was posted for a schoolmistress for the Bromyard Union Workhouse, at a salary of 10 pounds per year.

John Sunderland, a man of aliases

February 1856 – John Sunderland, a man with a number of aliases, was charged with running away from his wife and two children who had in consequence become chargeable to the parish of Stoke Lacey. The wife said that her husband had left her in Staffordshire three years earlier, and that she had come down to the Bromyard Workhouse. “John” blamed his bad behaviour on being out of work initially, and then on being injured on the railroad. He was sent to gaol for one month.

Egenia Philpotts – murderess

June 1857 – Egenia Philpotts was committed for trial at Hereford Assizes for the murder of her new born child. Mr. and Mrs. Brailsford, Master and Matron of the Bromyard Union Workhouse, said that the defendant who had been an inmate at the Workhouse, left on 20th then returned on 24th, saying that she had been confined at her father’s house and that the child was dead. However, Egenia’s mother told the court that her daughter had informed her that the confinement had taken place at the Union Workhouse. Superintendent Harward deposed that on confronting the prisoner on the Tuesday morning, she stuck to her story that she gave birth in the Workhouse where she was attended by Mr. Owen the Surgeon and Mrs. Brailsford the Matron, and that she supposed that after the baby died they buried it in Bromyard churchyard. Later however, she admitted that she gave birth in Mr. Rowberry’s field and that she buried the child in a ditch. After a search, the baby was found and although there were no external marks there was evidence of clay in it’s mouth and blood coming from the nose.
Egenia said that it was an accidental birth as she was on her way home, and that she was unconscious afterwards. On waking the baby was dead.
She was committed for trial!!

Workhouse Porter attempts suicide

June 1891 – The last train was approaching Suckley, when a young man ran down the embankment and threw himself across the rails; the driver blew his whistle and immediately braked, managing to stop just in time. The dazed man was put in a sitting position, and was recognised as Richards, who had been a porter at the Bromyard Workhouse. He was taken into custody after some resistence, and it was decided that he was of unsound mind. He was remanded by Magistrates on the charge of attempted suicide.

Tramps revolt at the Workhouse

September 1892 – Thomas Morgan, John Timbs, Peter Allen, William Green, Thomas James, John Lomas and William Smith, all tramps, were brought before the court by Thomas Arter, Master of Bromyard Union Workhouse charged with refusing to complete their allotted task of breaking stone. They were admitted into the Workhouse, and the following morning told to break the stone, but by the evening they had failed to finish the task and Thomas Arter gave the information to the police and had them all locked up. Roberts, the porter, said that he had told the defendants that they had to break 9cwt of stone each but they barely completed a quarter of this amount and refused to do any more. Thomas Morgan also damaged a door, trying to get out. They were all committed to 14 days hard labour, with Thomas Morgan earning himself another 7 days for damaging the door.

Bromyard Union Workhouse Staff and Inmates 1901 Census

From the moment you wend your way down the narrow lane to where Lower Brockhampton Manor House nestles within acres of  woods and grazing land, the sense of peace is overwhelming.

The house itself is by no means large, but for me it beats its more impressive and bigger counterparts hands down and has such a lovely happy atmosphere oozing out of the gloriously creaking oak floors and wealth of beams..

Back in 1383 John Domulton married the heiress to the estate, and took on the title Lord of Brokhampton;  it is thought that their son Philip built the manor house in the early 15th century.

Lower Brockhampton Gatehouse

The gatehouse with its massive old oak door, made from trees felled in the mid 16th century, was merely for effect and not in any way suitable for a defensive role, is delightful.

Lower Brockhampton Chapel

Now in ruins, the atmosphere in this little roofless chapel is of peace and calm.

The Stone Font was installed by John and Emma Brockhampton

The Great Hall at Lower Brockhampton

This room originally had no gallery or stairs to the bedrooms, but was altered over the centuries.

The Barnebys at Lower Brockhampton

In the late 17th century, Isabella Lechmere of Hanley Castle married Richard Barneby of Brockhampton, and some years later he inherited the estate.

In 1750, Bartholomew Lutley was bequeathed the Brockhampton estate by his uncle, who had stipulated that Bartholomew change his name to Barneby.

When Bartholomew graduated from Oxford University he took up residence on the estate and set about making improvements.  He modernised some of the farms, and decided to build a new mansion house, which would be far grander that Lower Brockhampton.

Bartholomew married Betty Freeman, and set about building Brockhampton House on the site of one of the farms;  once completed the couple moved in leaving Lower Brockhampton to be occupied by farm workers.

One such worker was Joseph Cureton and his wife Ann plus their seven children.  He was a wagoner on the estate.

1861 – Lower Brockhampton Household

Lower Brockhampton was bequeathed by  Colonel John Lutley to the National Trust in 1947, and much restoration work was carried out using timber from the estate.

There is also a lily filled moat