Norfolk: Poor Law after 1834 Act
Wayland Union

Union history

1834 - Wayland Poor Law Union was formed.
1836 - Workhouse at The Street, Rockland All Saints, NR17 1TT, [Map reference is TL9925096950]
Description is in Whites 1845 directory.
1902 - Gained parishes from Guiltcross Union.
1930 - Union dissolved.
1933 - Kelly's directory has no mention under Rockland All Saints.
1937 - Kelly's directory - as 1933
1939 - Not in use.
Most buildings have now been demolished.
Remaining buildings converted to a house called "Wayland House"

The Union also established an Infirmary at Attleborough.

1912-14 - "Attleborough Infirmary" located on Ellingham Road, Attleborough, NR17 1AE, [Map reference is TM0305096150]
"Cakes Hill" or "Cades Hill" is the area of land where the Hospital is located. "Cades Hill House" was either part of or connected with the Infirmary.
1933 - Whites directory (under Swaffham) has a section "Norfolk No 11 Area Guardians Committee" says the Infimary is available for 110 inmates and stands in 15 acres.
c.1939-1945 - Attleborough Emergency Hospital for Services Casualties and Sick
1948 - Became part of the National Health Service - "Wayland Hospital"
c.2000 - closed
2004 - St Luke's Hospital
2006 - Some buildings demolished.
Other names associated with the site "Bickley Day Hospital".

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

Wayland Union Places	Pre 1834 Union, Incorporation or Parish Work House	Pre 1902 Union (if not Wayland)
Attleborough	WkHse
Banham (from 1902)	WkHse	Guiltcross
Besthorpe
Breckles
Buckenham, New (from 1902) (New Buckenham)	WkHse	Guiltcross
Buckenham, Old (from 1902) (Old Buckenham)	WkHse	Guiltcross
Carbrooke	WkHse
Caston
Eccles (from 1902)		Guiltcross
Ellingham, Great (Great Ellingham)	WkHse
Ellingham, Little (Little Ellingham)	WkHse
Griston
Hargham
Hockham
Illington
Kenninghall (from 1902)	WkHse	Guiltcross
Larling
Merton
Ovington
Quidenham (from 1902)		Guiltcross
Rockland All Saints
Rockland St. Andrew
Rockland St. Peter	WkHse
Roudham
Scoulton
Shropham
Snetterton
Stow-Bedon
Thompson
Tottington
Watton	WkHse
Wilby (from 1902)		Guiltcross

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)

Go down the "Historical Record Collections"
Select Title - "England, Norfolk Poor Law Union Records, 1796-1900"
Select "Browse through xxx images"
Under County pick - "Norfolk"
Under Poor Law Union select the "Required Union"
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

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.

Norfolk: Poor Law after 1834 Act Wayland Union

Union history

Poor Law Records - Images

Other Websites

Norfolk: Poor Law after 1834 Act
Wayland Union