Aysgarth Union Workhouse

This page is intended to give a little local insight into the workhouse at Bainbridge from 1809 - 1930 and the staff and associated people who were connected with it. The building is currently known as High Hall Residential Home.

The Workhouse 1924

High Hall Residential Home was built as a workhouse in 1809 and was able to take up to sixty inmates.

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1812 The Gilbert Act

Under the Gilbert Act the Gilbert Union was formed and the workhouse was called the Bainbridge Incorporation Workhouse.

• The workhouse gave shelter, relief and employment to the poor of
  Bainbridge, Askrigg, Hawes, Aysgarth, Low Abbotside, Thoralby and
  Burton-Cum-Walden.

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1813

• Grinton and High Abbotside joined the Incorporation workhouse.
• In 1824 Carperby became part of the Incorporation.

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If anyone has an early photograph of High Hall please could you contact at angela@kershaw.org Also any help, information or corrections will be appreciated.
Comment can also be added to the bottom of all pages.
These pages will be updated as more information becomes available.

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1812

From the month of February accounts

The Guardians allowed the purchase of 9 gallons of ale at 1/6d per gallon.

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1813

The governor of the workhouse was paid a monthly salary of £5-8/-.

It was unanimously agreed by the visitors and guardians of the Incorporation Township that the treasurer Mr.------ shall have an advance of £5 per annum.

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November 1813

At a meeting of the Governors and visitors of the Incorporation Workhouse at this place, it was unanimously resolved that in consequence of the extravagant price of 9d a gallon wine measure paid for new milk for the supply of the house it was becoming highly expedient to remedy the above imposition by the keeping of a cow to be provided at the general expense of the Institution and that Mr Lamb and Mr John Beezon be requested to implore Mr Scarr herewith or any other person the requisite quantity of land for the above purpose.
---? Metcalfe (Chairman)

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Approx. 1813-1814

From the accounts.

• I James Metcalfe do agree to furnish the workhouse with beef at 8d
  per lb and mutton and veal at 8d per lb.
  Signed James Metcalfe.

• I John Cockbone do agree to furnish the Bainbridge Workhouse with
  coals.

• West pit coals at 1/6 per load. East pit coals at 2/6 per load.

• In today’s' money that would be seven and a half and twelve and a half pence respectively.
  (West pit coal came from West Pits near Hardraw)

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1815

Mr John Harper is governor of the workhouse At a regular monthly meeting of Visitors and Guardians of the Incorporation Township held this day of July 1815 it was resolved by the major part of the said Visitors and Guardians then present that John Harper the late Governor shall on the first Monday in August shall quit the workhouse and the Chairman Mr R Garth is requested to give him notice accordingly and that all the books, utensils etc. belonging to the said workhouse shall be delivered to William Curwen at the same time.

Letter to Mr John Harper
Sir you are hereby urged to quit your situation of Governor of this house on the first Monday in August next and to deliver up possession of all books, stores etc belonging to same, to William Curwen the present Governor by order of this meeting.
R. Garth (Chairman)

The visitors and the guardians asked him to quit the workhouse and to hand over any books etc. belonging to the workhouse.

Mr. Harper refused to leave and it was discussed that the matter may be taken to law.

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1816

The Rev. Geoff Wood Minister of Aysgarth church was called to the chair as a mediator to try and settle the disagreeable subject of Mr Harper.

A solution was reached and the Rev. Wood proposed William Curwen to be the new Governor.

The contract of employment was to be for one year. The salary was to be 40 pounds per annum.

William Curwen finally becomes Governor of the workhouse

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1817

High Hall back of the workhouse not 1817

• November. The guardians unanimously decided that they would no
  longer be responsible for payments to the casual poor.
• Each parish would be directly responsible for the relief of their
  own casual poor.

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1819

James Mason from Bainbridge became Governor of the Incorporated Workhouse, Bainbridge

Conditions at Bainbridge By this date the annual salary had risen to 45 pounds per annum.

James Mason remained governor of the workhouse at Bainbridge for 22 years. He died October 14th 1840.

A plaque commemorating the Life of James Mason can be seen at the Methodist Chapel in Bainbridge.

James Mason was also the parish constable of Bainbridge and was the last person to commit anyone to sit in the stocks at Bainbridge.

The last occasion (approx. 1837) that the stocks were put to use was when a tinker named Jos Swales and his wife (a riotous couple), were committed to sit in the stocks for being drunk and disorderly.

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1821

Looms were brought in to the workhouse by James Mason and a weaver was employed to teach the paupers how to weave hurden.

• HURDEN the coarse part of flax or hemp which was woven by the inmates and made into hard coarse linen used for clothes, mattress and pillow coverings etc. (S.D.English Language 1899).

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1841

Henry Chapman becomes Governor of the Incorporation Workhouse. He is listed as coming from Thornton Rust.

His wife was called Mary Chapman. She is listed as coming from Anderby.

In the 1841 census it gives Henry the age of 50 and Mary the age of 40.

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1846

• A Medical Officer for Health is now introduced.

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1851

Henry Chapman aged 73 is still the Governor of the Incorporation Workhouse.
Mary Chapman is the Governess and she is now aged 58.

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1861

Matthew Blyth aged 29 becomes Governor of the workhouse. He comes from Hawes.

Isabella Blyth aged 27 is the Matron. She comes from Appleby in Cumbria.

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1848

• A Christmas Treat1848
  On Christmas Day the inmates of the workhouse at this place were regaled with roast beef and plum pudding to the number 0f twentysix. Grace was said by Sutcliffe Warriner who has been within the walls of this building for the last 29 years.

1869

• The Gilbert Union was abolished and the Aysgarth Poor Law Union
  took over the workhouse.
• The Aysgarth Union was managed by a Board of Guardians made up of
  16 local people from the parishes served by the workhouse.
  
• The Workhouse is now called the Aysgarth Union Workhouse.

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1871

Matthew and Isabella have now left the Workhouse and are living in Bainbridge. They have two children living with them who are not related.

Jane Dinsdale aged nine and registered as a boarder.

John Johnson aged one and registered as a boarder.

Matthew Blyths' occupation is now clogger.

Matthew eventually moves back to Hawes and becomes an ironmonger and china dealer.

Later on Matthew becomes a Guardian at the Aysgarth Union Workhouse.

He is still on the Board of Guardians in 1907.

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1871 Anthony Thistlethwaite aged 60 is now the Master (note change of job description) of the Workhouse.

Mary Thisthlethwaite aged 44 is the Matron and comes from Hull.

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In the 1871 census it records George Whitton (later to become a master at the workhouse) as head of household from Aysgarth aged 37 married and living in Bainbridge.

Elizabeth Whitton wife aged 40. Listed as coming from Askrigg. They have four children. One son and three daughters. The youngest is Jane aged two.

George Whitton is described as a Master Coachbuilder who employs 3 men and one boy.

Living in his house at the time of the census as well as his family were John Akers aged 20. Apprentice from Staindrop.

Thomas Plews aged 16 and also apprentice from Richmond. (Boy)

John James Cannel aged 24. Coach builder from Douglas Isle of Man.

Thomas Stone aged 38 and is listed as a Blacksmith from Manchester.

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1874

Dr. Alfred Baker

• Dr Baker is the Officer of Health for the Aysgarth Union Workhouse and resides in Askrigg.

When Dr Richard Routh at Aysgarth leaves, Dr Baker moves his practice from Askrigg to the one at Aysgarth.
Dr Baker thought Aysgarth would be the better location to run the rural practice from.

• In 1889 he moved to a new house in Aysgarth with a doctor’s surgery
  attached built by Squire Tomlinson.

• Dr.Edward Hime from Sheffield at this time boarded with Dr. Baker
  and was his medical assistant.

• Dr. Baker dies in 1903 from dropsy aged 55 and Dr. Hime replaces him.

It is recorded that when on his death bed he was asked if he wanted the vicar.
In reply he said "No! I only deal with the head of the firm"

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1881

George Whitton now no longer Master Coachbuilder but becomes the Master at the Workhouse aged 48. He is listed as a widower.

Jane Holmes aged 32 from Aysgarth is the Matron.

Jane Whitton daughter aged 12 living with him.

Polly Whitton Visitor aged 15 and unwed is also staying there. She is listed as a housemaid.

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1890

Dr Thomas Grime 1890

Thomas Jackson Grime MD and surgeon was the medical officer from Hawes district for the Aysgarth Union Workhouse. He lived at the Holme Hawes.

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1891

George Whitton is still the Workhouse Master aged 58. He is listed as married again.

Mrs Elizabeth Whitton is registered as the Matron aged 33 from Bainbridge.

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1901

Mr. George Whitton from Aysgarth aged 68 Workhouse Master.

Elizabeth Whitton from Cubeck aged 43 Workhouse Matron.

Frank Whitton (son) aged 17 from Bainbridge. Assistant Master at home.

Margaret Whitton (daughter) aged 14.

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1903

George Witton Master of the Workhouse dies.
He is buried in Askrigg churchyard.

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Dr. Edward Hime

Dr. Edward Hime becomes the Officer for Health at the workhouse

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1901 census

Frank Hiscock is listed as coming from a small village called Melbury Abbas in Dorset, and was a servant at the Lecicester Road Union Workhouse, Uppingham, Rutland.

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1903

Mr Frank Hiscock

Mr Frank Hiscock is now Master of the Aysgarth Union Workhouse

Mrs. Elizabeth Hiscock is the Matron.

In this photo she is in full Matrons dress. (The hat looks like a Sunday best job.)

At this time a Matron did not need any nursing qualifications.
They had one child a son, born in 1900 at Shepton Mallett. Allen F. Hiscock.

They later had a daughter May who went on to become an attendant at the workhouse (1922) and finally became the assistant Matron(1930) when she married Mr. T. Fawcett Assistant Master.

Ivor John Hiscock, Frank's younger brother also came to Aysgarth in 1903 and worked for Frank as a Vagrant Superintendent. In August 1904 Ivor John went back down south to work at Yeovil workhouse as a porter.

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1904

The Workhouse of the Aysgarth Poor Law Union, situated in the village of Bainbridge, was improved in 1904 at a cost of £2,500.

The guardians and the Rural District Council met at the Workhouse every alternate Monday in the Board room.

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The Aysgarth Board of Guardians in 1907 taken at the back of the workhouse.

This photograph originally belonged to Willa Walls who now lives at Sycamore Hall. When she moved she gave the photograph to Aysgarth Parish Council as it was too large to hang up in her home.

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The Rev. Squibb and Frank Hiscock''

This is Mr. Frank Hiscock with the very Reverend Frederick Morris Symonds Squibb M.A. Vicar of Askrigg on the left.

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1909

The Hiscocks are still Master and Matron.

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1913

Dr Dean Dunbar

Dr. Hime leaves Wensleydale and sells the practice at Aysgarth to Dr. Will Pickles and Dr Dean Dunbar for £3000.

Dr. Dean Dunbar from the Aysgarth surgery becomes the new Medical Officer for health at the workhouse. He was also on the Board of Guardians of the workhouse at Bainbridge.

Just imagine a doctor today turning up on the doorstep looking like this! (Hardy breed)

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1919

• The newly created Ministry of Health was made responsible for poor
  law administration.
• Eleven years later (1930) the Board of Guardians were abolished and
  their powers transferred to Borough and County Councils.

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1922

Board of Guardians

This photograph of the Board of Guardians was taken in front of Bainbridge Old Hall which is opposite the workhouse in 1922. To view close up photographs check out The Board Of Guardians

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1930

The Hiscocks are still Master and Matron. A much more austere looking couple don't you think.

Mr and Mrs Hiscock used to have parties/dances at the hall and invite local people to join them.
The numbers of ladies at the Hall were usually more than men so young men from the village were invited by Mr Hiscock to come to the hall to dance with the ladies living at the workhouse.
Mr and Mrs Hiscock always provided a lovely supper.

There is now an assistant Master And Matron Mr and Mrs T. Fawcett
Mrs Fawcett was Miss May Hiscock the daughter of Mr and Mrs Hiscock before her marriage.

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This photograph was taken in March 1930 and was the last time the Board of Guardians met.''

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• High Hall Staff from 1930 to the present time
• The Reform Of The Poor Law
• Inmates and Casuals - anecdotes and snippets from the workhouse
• The Workhouse Conditions - a look at the workhouse in the 19th century
• The Board Of Guardians - Enlarged photos of local people elected on to the Board of Guardians 1907 1922 and 1930
• Ernest Metcalfe - Started work at High Hall in 1965
• Joan Buck - Matron from 1966 - 1973
• Home

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• Related websites

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