Norfolk Poor Law before 1834

St Faith's Gilbert Union

This included the parishes of Catton, Coltishall, Crostwick, Drayton, Felthorpe, Hainford, Horsford, Horsham St. Faith, Horstead with Stanninghall, Newton St. Faith, Rackheath, Salhouse, Spixworth, Sprowston, and Taverham

Union history

• 1782 - Gilbert's Act allowed parishes to join together and run a workhouse. This was for the old, the sick and the infirm.
• 1805 - St Faith's Gilbert Union formed.
  • House of Industry built at Manor Road, Horsham St Faith, NR10 3LF , [Map reference is TG218161]. "St Faith's Crematorium" built on site of demolished workhouse.
• 1836 - St. Faith's Poor Law Union formed.
  • St Faith's Gilbert Union was dissolved.
  • Parishes became part of the St. Faith's Union and Aylsham Union.
• See also Whites 1845 directory description.

After 1834 these parishes moved as shown :-

Poor Law Records - Images

Online images of some poor law registers, admissions books etc. from 1796 to 1900 are available at the

• LDS familysearch website (UK+Ireland records section)

1. Go down the "Historical Record Collections"
2. Select Title - "England, Norfolk Poor Law Union Records, 1796-1900"
3. Select "Browse through xxx images"
4. Under County pick - "Norfolk"
5. Under Poor Law Union select the "Required Union"
6. Records are under headings such as "District, Workhouse & Unknown etc."

Other Websites

Acts, descriptions, maps, some pictures etc. can be found at :-
                www.workhouses.org.uk (The Story of Workhouses).

Further information can be found:

• about locations in the Towns and Parishes pages.
• about which hundred a parish occurs in.

See also the Poor Law page and the Post 1834 Unions page

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If you use this information in your research, please say that it is from Genuki Norfolk.

Copyright © Mike Bristow.
March 2010