In the spring of 1836, Assistant Poor Law Commissioner George Clive visited the south Wales and catalogued a multitude of malpractices and poor conditions relating to former parish workhouses in the area.
In 1835, the Newport workhouse on Commercial Street had Elizabeth Morgan as its Mistress.
Newport Poor Law Union was formed on 1st August, 1836. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, 43 in number, representing its 40 constituent parishes as listed below (figures in brackets indicate numbers of Guardians if more than one):
County of Monmouth:
Bedwas, Bettws, Bishton, Caerleon, Christchurch with hamlet of Caerleon ultra Pontern, Coedkernew, Duffryn, Goldcliff, Graig, Henllis, Kemeys Inferior, Llandevenny, Llangattock juxta Caerleon, Llangstone with hamlet of Llanbedo, Llanhennock, Llanmartin with hamlet of Llanbedar, Llanwern, Llanvaches, Llanvihangel Llantarnam, Lower Machen, Upper Machen, Magor, Malpas, Marshfield, Michaelstone Vedow [-y-vedw], Mynyddyslwyn (2), Nash, Newport (2), Penhow, Peterstone, Redwick, Risca, Rogerstone, St Bride Wentllooge, St Woollos (2), Tredunnock, Witson, Wilcrick.
County of Glamorgan:
Rhydgwern, Llanvedow
Later Additions (from 1895): Rumney, St. Mellons.
The population falling within the Union at the 1831 census had been 24,252 with parishes ranging in size from Llanwern (population 22) to Newport with St Woolos (7,052). The average annual poor-rate expenditure for the period 1833-35 had been £6,817 or 5s.10d. per head.
The Board of Guardians met at the workhouse each Saturday at noon.
A Newport Union workhouse was erected in 1837-8 at the south side of Stow Hill in Newport on land donated by Sir Charles Morgan. The Poor Law Commissioners authorised an expenditure of £4,000 on construction of the building which was to accommodate 200 inmates. The building was designed by TH Wyatt. Its layout adopted the popular cruciform or "square" plan, with an entrance block at the north, behind which four wings radiated from a central supervisory hub. Enclosed exercise yards for the different classes of inmate were created by the perimeter outbuildings. The workhouse location and layout are shown on the 1882 map below.
Newport workhouse site, 1887.
Poor Law Board inspections of the workhouse on 15th July 1865 and 9th June 1866 resulted in a critical report:
The Guardians were clearly persuaded that expansion was needed because the workhouse was enlarged in 1868-9 at a cost of £10,000 to increase its capacity to 500. The main additions were a new hospital and infirmary on additional land that had been purchased at the west of the workhouse. A chapel was also erected at the north of the site.
Newport 1869 infirmary from the north-east, 2005.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Newport chapel from the north-west, 2005.
© Peter Higginbotham.
In 1902-3, a much larger expansion took place when the workhouse was almost entirely rebuilt at a cost of £60,000 with only the 1869 infirmary, hospital, and chapel surviving. The new buildings followed the popular pavilion-plan principle with a number of separate ward blocks connected by passageways. The 1902 map below was surveyed during the redevelopment just before the original workhouse was demolished.
Newport workhouse site, 1921.
Newport 1902 entrance block, early 1900s.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Newport 1902 entrance block, 2000.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Newport 1902 entrance, 2000.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Newport 1902 ward block, 2000.
© Peter Higginbotham.
The picture below, which dates from around 1905, shows the elderly women inmates.
Newport elderly women inmates c.1905.
courtesy Mrs Taylor.
The picture above, and the one below of the workhouse staff, were kindly contributed by Mrs Taylor whose grandmother's sister Martha Hall was the assistant matron.
Newport workhouse staff, c.1905.
courtesy Mrs Taylor.
The site, now known as St Woolos Hospital, has been considerably redeveloped but a variety of older buildings still stands along the south side of Stow Hill.
The union operated a casual ward for vagrants at 67-69 Stow Hill.
The Newport Board of Guardians operated scattered homes at 83 Caerleon Road and 59 Chepstow Road. These houses, probably rented for the purposes, accommodated 'families' of twenty to thirty children under the supervision of a matron.
Newport Caerleon Road scattered home, 2005.
© Peter Higginbotham.
In 1917, the union opened a children's home in a house at 108 Stow Hill, also known as the Court House. The house was previously owned by Lord Tredegar and then leased to Thomas Ponsford, a dealer and scrap merchant, who went bankrupt owing the Newport Corporation money. The Corporation acquired the freehold in 1918 and the site continued in use as a children's home until 1973.
108 Stow Hill, 2006.
© Veronica McKenzie.
The house is said to be haunted by the ghost of a child who committed suicide in the 1930s. A child calling has been heard in the top left-hand bedroom as viewed from Stow Hill.
Young children were also accommodated at Stelvio House on Bassaleg Road. The impressive house was built as the home of 19th century Newport industrialist, Charles H Bailey. Some 1930s views have kindly been contributed by Veronica McKenzie whose grandmother, Rose Williams (née Hoare), was then Matron at the home.
Stelvio House, 1930s.
© Veronica McKenzie.
Stelvio House children and staff c.1934,
© Veronica McKenzie.
In 1996, developers McCarthy and Stone were prosecuted and fined £200,000 for deliberately demolishing the listed property.
This page () is copyright Peter G Higginbotham. Last updated 13-Jul-2009
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