Norfolk Poor Law Unions and Incorporations before 1834

The relief of the Poor after the Dissolution of the Monastries was covered by Poor Law Acts in the reign of Elizabeth I in 1601. Further Acts followed in the next 250 years. Villages could build poorhouses and this was done in some parishes.

Gilbert's Act 1782 Unions

Gilbert's Act 1782 enabled parishes to group together forming a union to build poor houses. Some of these existed in Norfolk.

Houses of Industry arranged by location

Acle
A house of Industry was erected at Acle in 1788 for seven parishes, and to which 10 other parishes were united. This house was burnt down in Nov. 1834. See also Whites 1845 directory description.
Aylsham Union
See also Buxton entry.
Books:-The Poor in Aylsham 1700-1836
[Aylsham Local History Society]
Bawdeswell
Incorporated workhouse here for 7 parishes.
Brinton
The Brinton Union survived until 1869 after which its 2 parishes were added to the Walsingham Union.
Parishes = Brinton and Melton Constable.
Buxton
This was part of the Aylsham Union which also included a House of Industry at Oulton (3.5 miles NW of Aylsham). House of Industry located at Buxton was for Brampton, Burgh St.Mary, Buxton, Hevingham, Marsham, Oxnead, Skeyton, Stratton Strawless, Swanton Abbot.
This House of Industry was located to the S.E of Buxton about 0.5 mile outside the village and was subsequently demolished. See also Oulton and Whites 1845 directory description.
Gimingham
House of Industry located at Gimingham (built c.1805) was for the parishes of Gimingham, Knapton, Mundesley, North Repps, Overstrand, South Repps, Trimingham and Trunch all in Erpingham Hundred. See also Sherringham and Whites 1845 directory description.
Gressenhall
All fifty parishes of the Hundreds of Mitford and Launditch which are:-
Cranworth, East Dereham (part of-rest in Launditch), East Tuddenham, Garvestone, Hardingham, Hockering, Letton, Mattishall, Mattishall Burgh, North Tuddenham, Reymerston, Shipdham, South Burgh, Thuxton, Westfield, Whinbergh, Wood Rising, Yaxham, Beeston All Saints, Beetley, Brisley, Colkirk, East Bilney, East Dereham (part of-rest in Mitford), East Lexham, Gateley, Great Dunham, Great Fransham, Gressenhall, Hoe, Horningtoft, Kempston, Litcham, Little Bittering, Little Dunham, Little Fransham, Longham, Mileham, North Elmham, Oxwick, Pattesley, Rougham, Scarning, Stanfield, Swanton Morley, Tittleshall, Weasenham All Saints, Weasenham St. Peter, Wellingham, Wendling, West Lexham, Whissonsett, Worthing, were incorporated for the support of their poor in 1775. In 1801 East Dereham obtained an Act by which it was separated from the incorporation. The House of Industry located at Gressenhall was built in 1776/7.
See also Whites 1845 directory description.
[Note that this building is now a Rural Life Museum]
Heckingham
This comprises all the 40 parishes of Loddon and Clavering Hundreds which are:-
Alpington, Ashby, Bedingham, Broome, Carleton St. Peter, Chedgrave, Claxton, Ditchingham, Hardley, Hedenham, Hellington, Kirstead, Langley, Loddon, Mundham, Seething, Sisland, Thurton, Thwaite St. Mary, Topcroft, Woodton, Aldeby, Brooke, Bergh Apton, Burgh St. Peter, Ellingham, Geldeston, Gillingham All Saints & Gillingham St. Mary, Haddiscoe, Hales, Heckingham, Howe, Kirby Cane, Norton Subcourse, Raveningham, Stockton, Thorpe next Haddiscoe, Thurlton, Toft Monks, Wheatacre All Saints,
and also Yelverton, in Henstead Hundred. These 41 parishes were incorporated, for the support of their poor, by act of parliament, in 1763, when they built a large House of Industry at Heckingham, with room for about 500 paupers. See also Whites 1845 directory description.
Horsham St. Faith
House of Industry built in 1805 for Coltishall, Catton, Crostwick, Drayton, Felthorpe, Hainford, Horsham and Newton St. Faith, Horsford, Horstead with Stanninghall, Rackheath, Salhouse, Spixworth, Sprowston and Taverham. See also Whites 1845 directory description.
Oulton
This was part of the Aylsham Union which also included a House at Buxton (3 miles SE of Aylsham). House of Industry located at Oulton [Map ref TG156276] was for the parishes of Banningham, Blickling, Colby, Erpingham, Itteringham and Oulton.
The house was originally a farm house and was altered in 1804. Subsequently it was enlarged in c.1836 when it became one of the Union Workhouses for the Aylsham Union. See also the above Buxton entry.
Reepham
Incorporated workhouse here for 4 parishes (probably Hackford, Kerdiston, Reepham and Whitwell). See also Whites 1845 directory description.
Sherringham
House of Industry located at Sherringham (built c.1805) was for the parishes of Aldborough, Aylmerton, Beckham (East), Beeston Regis, Cromer, Felbrigg, Gresham, Runton and Sherringham all in Erpingham Hundred. See also Gimingham and Whites 1845 directory description.
Smallburgh.
Opened about 1786 for 24 parishes from Tunstead Hundred which are:-
Ashmanhaugh , Bacton, Barton Turf, Beeston St. Lawrence, Bradfield, Crostwight, Dilham, Edingthorpe, Felmingham, Honing, Horning, Hoveton St. John, Hoveton St. Peter, Irstead, Neatishead, Paston, Ridlington, Sco-Ruston (or South Ruston), Sloley, Smallburgh, Swafield, Tunstead, Westwick, Witton, Worstead.
Note that this excludes North Walsham. See also Whites 1845 directory description.
St Faith's Union
See Horsham entry.
Wicklewood
All 24 parishes of Forehoe Hundred which are:-
Barford, Barnham-Broom, Bawburgh, Bowthorpe, Brandon Parva, Carleton-Forehoe, Colton, Costessey (or Cossey), Coston, Crownthorpe, Deopham, Easton, Hackford, Hingham, Honingham, Kimberley, Marlingford, Morley St. Botolph, Morley St. Peter, Runhall, Welborne, Wicklewood, Wramplingham and Wymondham,
except Honingham (in St Faith's Union) were incorporated in 1776 and the House of Industry was located at Wicklewood.
See also Whites 1845 directory description.

Note that Houses of Industry was the term used before 1834 and then most of them became known as Union Workhouses.

These pages are for personal use only. They may not be copied, and the links within them may not be harvested for use on your own web pages. Please see the Copyright Notice.