Why the need for Workhouses?
Workhouses became necessary to house the very poorest in society. At the same time they were not intended to be a place where people would want to be by choice, but as a place of last resort, when there was really no other option.
Based on the principle of Less eligibility, it was stated by the Rev H.H. Milman that “the Workhouse should be a place of hardship, of coarse fayre, of degradation and humility; it should be as repulsive as is consistent with humanity.”
In 1832 there was a royal commission set up to look into ways to provide for the poor, and this led to the New Poor Law being set up in 1834. This led to workhouses being built.
The East Riding of Yorkshire was divided up into 13 Poor Law Unions, each responsible for its own administration. Following a meeting on 6th July 1837, the Skirlaugh Union was formed on 25th July 1837, and was made up of 42 parishes each of which had a representative on the board. They were responsible for a population within the Skirlaugh Union of 8288 people.
Richard Bethell was appointed as the President. Charles Grimston was the Vice President.
Other appointments were James Bainton of Beverley who was appointed as Clerk to the Union, and Joseph Stanton of Aldbrough as relieving officer. Messrs Pease and Liddell of Hull were appointed as Treasurer.
Skirlaugh’s workhouse.
Skirlaugh union workhouse was built in 1838-9 to serve parishes in mid Holderness. Designed by J. B. and William Atkinson of York, the former workhouse is of brick with stucco dressings; the two-storeyed front elevation comprises a main block of seven bays with lower, recessed side wings. Prominent pediments crown the larger end bays of the main block, which has another pediment over the central doorway and a mixture of round-headed and rectangular windows.
The Workhouse was designed to house up to 140 paupers, but this figure was 60 when actually built. The estimated cost was £2000, but the final cost was £2,332.
6 rooms were included for aged married couples, and no receiving wards were provided. The Kitchen windows were positioned to overlook the women and girls yards, and an open fence was recommended.
Tenders were invited for the provision of groceries, soap, candles, and clothing including shoes and boots.
Mary Catlin, workhouse mistress
In June 1839 an advertisement was placed to recruit the first Master and Matron, at a salary of £35 per year for the Master and £15 per year for the Matron. A married couple was preferred, and the ability to write clearly and to be able to keep accounts was essential.
Perhaps the best known Matron is Mary Caitlin. She was well regarded, and was buried in Skirlaugh Church Yard on 17th December 1888, age 61. The Window on the North wall opposite the Main entrance through the South Porch is dedicated to Mary Catlin. The Board of the Workhouse published a Tribute to “Express their sense of the loss they sustained by the death of Mary Caitlin, the Matron of the Workhouse, and convey their appreciation of the numerous good qualities which she displayed in the exercise of her office during a period of 30 years past, and the great interest which she showed in the welfare of the inmates”.
Robert Catlin continued as Master and retired between 1896 and 1898. He lived until 1910 and died on 27th Feb that year aged 86. He is buried next to his wife in the churchyard. Other masters were:
- 1839 Thomas and Mary Little
- 1857 George Starkey and Wife
- 1861 Robert and Mary Catlin
- 1898 James Mead and Wife
- 1900 William and James Charles
The lost boys.
On the North side of the church is the grave of 2 young inmates from the workhouse who tragically drowned. Below is the inscription on the grave.
Here lieth / in sure and certain hope / of the resurrection to everlasting life /through our Lord Jesus Christ / HENRY WILES /aged 9 years / And CHARLES SOUTHWICK / aged 7 years / both inmates of Skirlaugh Union / who were drowned in the Lambwath at Benningholme / the former in attempting to rescue his companion / on the 7th April A.D.1877 / “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in / which all that are in the graves shall come forth” / St. John V.28. / This stone is erected to their memory by subscription
A Newspaper account of the time is shown below:
Jane Southwick, Charles’s mother was born into a pauper family – her father William was a tailor but described as a pauper, with a wife and five children in 1851. Jane had three illegitimate children – the first Hannah in 1867 when she was 18 and then Charles and later in1876, a son called William.
Henry’s mother, Ann Wiles, had a similar hard luck story. Ann’s father John was a labourer who was in Skirlaugh Workhouse in 1851 with four of his children, including Ann when she herself was aged 9. Her mother, Sarah, had died when Ann was 6 and was buried at Hornsea in 1847. At age 16 in 1861, Ann was a domestic servant to a carrier in Football Green, Hornsea. By 1871 both John and Ann were back in the Workhouse, where Ann died on 16 May 1871 of consumption, leaving behind her son Henry, who was nearly 4 at the time.