Wellingborough's 1836 Victorian workhouse

[@melwiseman5226]

Thank you... please keep making these important videos. Devastating to understand what thar site was for. To add to the story the building labelled The Infirmary in the video is now Wellingborough Community Mental Health Team, and someone else has said they were maternity units and district nursing offices before that. The old workhouses in your video are homes to hundreds of swifts in the summer and it is lovely to watch them flying around.

[@luckassociates]

This took me down memory lane. I was aware of the workhouse history but to me the site was the Park Hospital (before it was renamed Isebrook) My father worked as a Nursing officer throughout the 1960's, 70s and into the 1980s when he retired. As a child I remember doing the rounds with him meeting all of the patients and the nurses he worked with. To me this was just where dad worked and I have happy memories of the place due to the smiles of all the people we met. I think my dad was well loved by the people there.

[@PurpleVision23]

Well that's a different perspective. Brilliant and thank you for sharing. I didn't realise it was called park hospita

[@Luke-bk8hc]

I'm sure he was.

[@brendabaverstock2645]

Your comments Mark, also took me down memory lane. I worked at the Park Hospital in the General Office in 1966 and certainly remember your Dad. I can vouch for the fact that people loved your Dad, he was so kind and a gentle person! There were two wings, Eastholme and Westholme - Eastholme housed all the lady "inmates" and Westholme where the men lived. I had to go to both these wings each week and had to get the ladies and men to sign their pension books! I suppose you could say that these wings were like a care home as we know it today.

[@dirghayup]

Thanks for another wonderful video. This is an important part of Wellingborough history. The council should put up a plaque somewhere to commemorate the people who suffered in the workhouse.

[@karenbolton6238]

Amazing. Finding your videos so valuable and interesting

[@PurpleVision23]

Thank you Karen. Means alot to me that does.

[@joelgoldsmith4747]

Taken directly from the "Historical Archives" of Wellingborough town. Another wonderful video "Purple" - cheers buddy !👍

[@johnharris8551]

I was born there

[@joelgoldsmith4747]

@@johnharris8551 : Isebrook hospital ??😕

[@johnharris8551]

@@joelgoldsmith4747 that was 67 years ago

[@PurpleVision23]

@@johnharris8551 oh wow so your a proper Wellingborough legend.

[@johnharris8551]

@@PurpleVision23 no just a swiss finedon boy

[@michaelstevens7533]

Now I know what that building was once used for always thought it was always part of the hospital. Learnt something new today

[@PurpleVision23]

Mad ennit. I've always thought the same.

[@paulinebacarese6201]

amazing video,i wonder how many that live there now knew it was a workhouse.i certainly never knew we had 1,martin was born at isebrook hospital,it wasn't long after that the maternity unit closed to births.thanks for this i always wondered about the history of those buildings,they do look foreboding

[@PurpleVision23]

Amazing when you know. I have heard people talk very positively about the maternity ward. I didn't know cousin Martin was born in Wellingborough. That makes him more of a legend than he is already 😊

[@markjones457]

Cheers for another interesting video!

[@PurpleVision23]

Your most welcome

[@dianebaxter3841]

I had my son there when it was The Park Hospital

[@PurpleVision23]

oh wow bless you my lovely. what was it like in there?

[@eastmidlandstrainspotter2014]

Great video friends

[@PurpleVision23]

Thanks Micheal

[@berni9977]

My old workplace was like the workhouses 😂

[@tomchitling]

Interesting I worked at the hospital in th 1980s. Most of the buildings represent later extensions. The 1836 bit was relatively small, shown at the beginning. The infirmary bits were later. In the 1830s Work house inmates were split into those "deserving poor" ie senile or cripple and undeserving poor, ie destitute unemployed, in debt etc. who had it the worst. There was a treadmill in one of the buildings. Unattached children under about 7 (I think) were initially housed in two privately run "cottages", one in Finedon, one in Wellingbro'. By the end of the centuary the there was a school master at the workhouse. (Not related to Wellingbro' school which is much older and wasfor the rich). Bear in mind there had been a series of banks failed from 1825, and a lot of the well-off had lost a lot of their money (and epidemics of TB and small pox kept coming back - sound familiar?) , so taking the responsibility for the poor from each small village and centralising it in the towns was seen as an economic solution.

[@PurpleVision23]

Yh I am still looking for the children's cottages. I thought they may have been on Castle Street but I'm unsure

[@tomchitling]

@@PurpleVision23 In "irthingborough cottage children's home", book from the irthingborough historical society, pub 2005 (no isbn). A childrens home is reported in Finedon at 4-6 Church Street in 1916ish. The same booklets bibliography includes reference to "Wellingborough Union Cottage homes & boarding-out committe minute books" from 1909 onwards. Also Numerous later references to Wellingborough Childrens homes. (PS I think the transfer age was 9years old, not 7yo a previously indicated).

[@exploringwithforsythphotog4467]

A lot of these old work houses where turned into hospitals st marys in kettering now the mental health unit was ketterings work house the one in melton mowbray still had its cells with beds and all the nhs used it as storage have to see if i got any photos somewhere it was under construction when i went about ten year ago so be long gone now yeah very grim places dude and if only walls could talk

[@Luke-bk8hc]

I think they do talk. 'Stone tape theory'

[@jo22571]

I always remember my nan saying she never wanted to be put in park hospital as she'd never get out and said about the work house she was born jan 4th 1911 lol

[@PurpleVision23]

Bless her. Because folk would say "I don't want to go park" is the reason for it's name change

[@jo22571]

@@PurpleVision23 oh wow i never knew that thanks for that info x

[@kausor]

The irony of poor children confined to the workhouse and literally next door, the privileged children having a private education at Wellingborough School.

[@PurpleVision23]

Have a look at the workhouse on Google maps. Looks like a familiar symbol..

[@Luke-bk8hc]

I get the same feelings around those buildings. So much negativity must leave a bad impression. No doubt. I always comment, so that's the only way I can contribute to your channel, cuz I'm brassic. Also, I'm using my fellows phone now, as mine is out of order. 😊Carlito Alter Ego.😊

[@PurpleVision23]

Bro the comments are just as good. I hope your ok mate

[@Luke-bk8hc]

@@PurpleVision23 I'm Carla. A Brosette😃😃😃 You still haven't done the history of Crow Hill and the P.O.W camp 'little Italy'. I know you will be hitting the Kotch as much as possible. I too have been to my 'Kotch'. At Irthlingborough locks. But Nettles are too much for me. With no tools, it's hard. But I do try and care for it, as you do. I put a msg in a bottle in the river Nene a few years ago. 8 months later I received a post-card from Belize. Central America saying they got my msg in a bottle. Honest. I wouldn't waste my time lying about something so trivial. My son was with me at the time, so I have a witness.😉. And no Police were not involved. But the bass line is great. Der, Der, der.... (ya get me?) Truthfully, there was a msg in said Lambrini bottle.

[@PurpleVision23]

and all this time i assumed you was a fella. Hahaha im soo sorry. moving forward (quickly). My legs are getting stronger on the bike and distances are becoming easier. Bare with me and i will get there one day.

[@Luke-bk8hc]

@@PurpleVision23 I thought I told you before. My Alter ego is Carlito, I'm Carla. But now apparently I'm Luke😁😁 Triple personality.😁😁confusing myself, let alone you. When is Leanness due ? It can't be much longer. I bet Eddie is well excited. You know my mate too. Dale Cubert. Remember him? We are bound to meet on our travels one day. I walk lots, but Artlenock mostly.😊 G'nite, god bless.

[@gemmaharvey3013]

Need you on the Tele . 🥰

[@PurpleVision23]

Hahahaha