The Gressenhall Workhouse

There were once 835 workhouses in England, just two remain that can be visited. One is at Gressenhall, near Dereham, and this story looks at the history behind it, the people who lived there, and the farm attached to it.

[@mikestv3782]

I am researching the Bulwer/Bullard line on my grandfathers side of my family and was staggered to see Caroline Bullard pop up (9.26 minutes). My grandfathers Great Grandfather Reuben Bullard was in Gressenhall together with at least two of his children Caroline who was aged 15 & Frederick George aged 12 from August 1869. Although this Pauper Children Going into service placement didn't work out for Caroline in July 1871 she is taken in by a school master Mr John Slater and his wife Jane Anne Slater. They lived in the High Street Whissonsett village and had an infant son called Joseph Herbert. It looks like Caroline was going to be their nanny/domestic servant.

[@chrisbaileypresents7139]

Hello Mike I'm delighted that you saw a connection pop up on the screen. As someone who has also researched family lines, it is so exciting when a potential connection appears, and it seems as though you have definitely found a link. Good luck with the rest of your research. And thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@i-spy-ty]

Wow, insightful!

[@chrisbaileypresents7139]

Hello - and thank-you for taking the time to watch and comment. And yes, much of the history of Gressenhall is indeed insightful. How life was lived in the days of the Workhouse - never an easy place to leave. Life was difficult for so many. I do hope you enjoyed the stories we created.

[@i-spy-ty]

@@chrisbaileypresents7139 I sure did, my husband was telling me about his childhood and he mentioned this place. I searched for on YT and we were both delighted to find so much information! He visited in the 90's!

[@degsy5142]

Brilliant bit of work Chris. Will send this to some friends thinking of visiting Norfolk and looking for places unusual to go to, amazing that we have one of the only 2 left!

[@chrisbaileypresents7139]

Thank you for your kind comments Derek, much appreciated. More quirky stories to be added over next 3-4 weeks.

[@robnewman6101]

Wow.

[@mikestv3782]

Further to my previous comment I now know that my X3 Great grandfather Reuben Bullard and his 4 children from his 2nd marriage to Lucy Dye first entered Gressenhall in 1865/66 after his wife Lucy died in October 1865. Two of Reuben & Lucy's children died in Gressenhall; William on the 12th September 1866 aged 7 from Cachaxia (cancer) & Harriet also aged 7 on the 2nd June 1870 from Typhoid fever. Reuben himself also died aged 71 in Gressenhall on the 13th Sepember 1885 from "Decay of Nature". All three were buried in un-marked graves which are now all under the orchard mentioned in the video.

[@chrisbaileypresents7139]

Hello Mike - many congrats on the continued research and the fascinating story you are uncovering of the Bullard family. It's just sad that they ended up in a Workhouse, though for many it was actually a better life than struggling outside of the Gressenhall environment> Good luck with your future research too.

[@robnewman6101]

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. 1837.

[@robnewman6101]

Please sir I want some more.