Norfolk: Poor Law after 1834 Act
Guiltcross Union

Union history

• 1835 - Guiltcross Poor Law Union was formed.
• 1836 - Workhouse at Guilt Cross, Garboldisham Road, Kenninghall, NR16 2LJ , [Map reference TM019846]. Note postal address is "East Harling".
• Description is in Whites 1845 directory
• 1902 - Union dissolved. Parishes divided between Depwade, Thetford and Wayland Unions.
• 1905 - Inebriate Institution.
• 1916 - Guiltcross Institute for Mentally Defective Boys (gone by 1933).
• 1933 - Kelly's directory - nothing mentioned.
• 1937 - Kelly's directory - as 1933
• Most of the buildings now demolished (1 small range left).

Before 1834 some of these parishes had their own Work or Parish House (WkHse) 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 (European 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

Copyright © Mike Bristow.
May 2011