Norfolk: Poor Law after 1834 Act
Great Yarmouth Union 1837-1930

Workhouse and Union history

• 1837 (March) - Great Yarmouth Poor Law Union created.
• Used the previous Workhouse of Great Yarmouth Borough which was the old "Hospital of St Mary".
• 1838 - New Workhouse built at 150 Caister Road, Great Yarmouth, NR30 1BU, [Map reference is TG526087]
• 1891 - Gorleston added.
• 1930 - Union dissolved.
• 1933 - Kelly's directory has under "Public Assistance Committee" - "The Institution, 150a, Caister Road is now available for 500 inmates".
• 1937 - Kelly's directory - as 1933
• "Northgate Hospital" is now on the site of Workhouse.

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