WHITEHAVEN PRESTON QUARTER WORKHOUSE

Nev. Ramsden

The Cumberland Pacquet - 22 January 1850

 A report written by Dr. Isaac Mossop

Preston Quarter Workhouse is situated about a quarter of a mile out of the town of Whitehaven, in a very healthy situation, and is well watered.

The house itself consists of six spacious and lofty rooms, three on each side of the front door, one above another, perfectly well ventilated, and capable of containing easily twelve beds each (and more if needed), to accommodate two persons in each. From the centre of the front a passage leads backwards, along which, on the left, are some rooms which serve for the accommodation of the schoolmaster and mistress, etc. At the end of this is the school, a large and commodious room, newly built, well adapted for the purpose; it serves, also, as a day room for the boys. Over it is a room of the same dimensions, used as a sleeping apartment for the girls. I would suggest the propriety of putting a stove into it, that all the boys might obtain warmth at once, much better than from a fire. There is a very large yard where the boys take exercise, which is used as a depot for stones to be broken by the paupers; in it is a small building for washing, &c. There is another smaller yard and a garden, which formerly communicated: the yard is for the use of the girls for exercise, but is far too much contracted for any such purpose. I would suggest the entire removal of the obstruction, as the garden for that purpose is perfectly useless; a wall might be run up from the end of the school to the high wall, which would completely shut it out from the boys’ yard, and afford ample space for what it is so well adapted.

The principal want, I see, is a good washing house and drying room; for at present they are obliged in damp weather to dry all their clothes in the dining and girls’ rooms. This I think highly improper, if not unwholesome: there is sufficient space for building a place of that description in the large yard.

I think the house, as far as it goes, an excellent one for the purpose: it is healthy - as a proof, the appearance of the present inmates show it. There is no disease of any kind in the house, except such as are incidental to children - of which the present population chiefly consists; nor has there been any since its first establishment.

The number of inmates at present is about 160; altogether the house might contain from 180 to 190.