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Archiver > Bristol_and_Somerset > 2002-12 > 1040452242


From: "Audrey DuMont" <>
Subject: Re: Bristol Workhouse, Stapleton
Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 06:30:58 -0000
References: <009101c2a844$132612e0$5ca31a40@desktop>


No records survive for the Stapleton workhouse, as I have discovered during
my searches for my Grandfather (who was born there in 1895) or his mother,
whom - I am fairly sure - lived there for a greater part of her early life
(think I found her there on the census records for 1891 and perhaps 1881).
However, without any workhouse records there is no way of corroborating this
theory.

I emailed the Bristol PRO several times during my early searches and they
were very helpful in clarifying the situation with the workhouses on
Bristol, which is very confusing. Here is an extract from the answer they
sent me: -

"Confusion over the workhouses in Bristol often occurs because, not only
were the workhouses of the Barton Regis poor law union and the Bristol poor
law union sited close together, one at Eastville and one at Stapleton, but
also because the two poor law unions were amalgamated in 1904. St Peter's
Hospital (the old Bristol Union workhouse which had been replaced by the one
at Stapleton ) became the administrative headquarters housing all of the
records of the Bristol Union and some of the Barton Regis Union, all of
which were lost when the building was destroyed by enemy action in 1940. The
small collection of Barton Regis Union records that we hold survived because
they were stored at the Barton Regis Union workhouse at Eastville. Both
workhouses were known by a variety of names which can add to the confusion
over which institution was which. There is a map showing the location of the
two workhouses in our Poor Law leaflet, a reference copy of which is
available in our searchroom, which you may wish to see when you visit."

To aid my confusion at the time I was told that the Barton Regis Workhouse
(where my Grandmother was born!) was also called/known by Eastville
Workhouse/ 100 Fishponds Road! Happily the records office did have records
for this workhouse and I have been able to view the Creed Register, which
records all the details of my G-Grandmothers admission / discharge details
and the birth of my Grandmother, including the fact she had been given the
name Elsie, although when the birth was registered it became Lilian.

I can confirm that I have birth certificate records for both Grandparents
received through the local registrar's office at Quakers Friars - so no
problem there. And I have also just received a death certificate for
step-G-Grandfather (of the Grandfather above) whom it appears died in
Stapleton workhouse in 1915. Life has a pattern to it, so I wonder if he
was born in a workhouse as well!

Regards - Audrey Du'Mont


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