Poverty Collection

Highwood School, Brentwood, Essex
The administration block at Highwood (or High Wood) School, Brentwood, Essex. The school was opened by the Metropolitan Asylums Board in 1904 for the treatment of ophthalmia in children

Charlie Chaplin as the little tramp
Film actor and director Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977), film star and director, seen here in his little tramp costume, probably in a still from his 1925 film, The Gold Rush

Shotley Bridge General Hospital, County Durham
Aerial view of Shotley Bridge Hospital, County Durham. It was originally opened by the Gateshead Union in 1912 as a TB sanatorium (far right of picture)

The Hollies Childrens Home, Sidcup, Kent
Aerial view of The Hollies, the Greenwich & Deptford Unions cottage homes at Lamorbey, near Sidcup, Kent, opened in 1902 to house pauper children away from the workhouse

Boys Swimming, Training Ship Mercury, River Hamble, Hants
Boys from the Training Ship Mercury swimming nude in the River Hamble. The Mercury, established in 1885 by the London philanthropist Charles Hoare

Compass Drill, Training Ship Arethusa, Greenhithe, Kent
A group of boys aboard the Training Ship Arethusa receiving compass instruction. The ship received boys aged 13-16 from a variety of poor backgrounds, including the workhouse

Busy street scene at Spitalfields, East End of London
A busy street scene at Spitalfields in the East End of London. The location is the junction of Commercial Street and Brushfield Street. The building at the right is Spitalfields Market

Mount Pleasant Hotel, Kings Cross, London
The Mount Pleasant Hotel at the corner of Kings Cross Road and Calthorpe Street, Central London. The building was originally erected in 1894 as one of Londons six Rowton Houses - large

Union Workhouse, Cootehill, County Cavan, Ireland
Female lunatic inmates sit in an airing yard at the Cootehill Union Workhouse, County Cavan, Ireland

Knotting Class, Training Ship Arethusa, Greenhithe, Kent
A group of boys aboard the Training Ship Arethusa receiving knotting and splicing instruction. The ship received boys aged 13-16 from a variety of poor backgrounds, including the workhouse

Manchester Warehousemen Orphan Schools, Cheadle Hulme
The Manchester Warehousemen Orphan Schools, on Claremont Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. The school was founded in 1855 by a group of Manchester businessmen to care for and educate orphans

Whipps Cross Hospital, Essex
Part of Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone, Essex. Several patients can be see in beds on the open balconies. The hospital was opened in 1903 by the West Ham Union for the sick poor in the area

Street in Wapping, East End of London
A view of a narrow street in Wapping, East London. A group of children are at hand to observe the proceedings

North Wales Lunatic Asylum, Denbigh, North Wales
Administration block of the North Wales Lunatic Asylum at Denbigh, opened in 1848 and designed by Thomas Fulljames

Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield, Middlesex
Aerial view of Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield, Middlesex. The building was originally the Chase Farm Schools, opened in 1886 by the Edmonton Union to house pauper children away from the workhouse

The Ladder of Fortune. Industry and Morality bring solid rewards. Idle schemes and speculations yield poverty and ruin. Date: 1875

Jewish Children, East End of London
A crowd of Jewish children in the East End of London

West Ham Infirmary, Whipps Cross, Essex
West Ham Infirmary, Whipps Cross, Leytonstone, Essex, viewed across a small lake. The infirmary, better known as Whipps Cross Hospital

Staffordshire County Asylum, Cheddleton, near Leek
The Staffordshire County Lunatic Asylum was established in 1898 on Cheadle Road, Cheddleton, near Leek. It was later known as Staffordshire Mental Hospital, then St Edwards Mental Hospital

Asylum Lodge, Devizes, Wiltshire
The entrance lodge to the County Lunatic Asylum at Devizes, Wiltshire opened in 1851. In 1924 it was renamed Wiltshire County Mental Hospital, then in 1948 renamed Roundway Hospital

Banstead Asylum, Surrey
Banstead Asylum, located on Sutton Lane, Banstead, Surrey, was established in 1877 as the Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum

West Middlesex Hospital, Isleworth, Middlesex
The West Middlesex Hospital, originally erected as an infirmary for the Brentford Union workhouse on Twickenham Road, Isleworth

Dorking General Hospital, Surrey
Aerial view of Dorking General Hospital on Horsham Road, Dorking, Surrey. Designed by William Shearburn, the building opened in 1841 as the Dorking Union workhouse

Stone Asylum, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Entrance to the Buckinghamshire County Lunatic Asylum at Stone, near Aylesbury. A porter stands at the right of the gateway

Free to Roam. Southbank, Middlesbrough 1970s 1970s

Market Hill and former workhouse, Maldon
A view of Market Hill, Maldon, Essex. The large building at the left is the Maldon Unions former workhouse. Date: circa 1900

The Arkansas Traveller
Scene in the Back Woods of Arkansas. The Arkansas Traveller visiting a family in a hut with a whisky sign Date: 1870

Brockhall Hospital, Langho, near Blackburn, Lancashire
Aerial view of Brockhall Hospital at Langho, near Blackburn, Lancashire, established in 1904 by the Lancashire Inebriates Acts Board as an inebriate reformatory for women

Houseless and Hungry by Luke Fildes
A study entitled Houseless and Hungry by Luke Fildes depicting homeless paupers queuing outside the casual ward of a London workhouse. A policeman stands at the left of the scene

Guiltcross Union Workhouse, Kenninghall, Norfolk
The Guiltcross Union Workhouse, designed by William Thorold, was erected in 1836-7 at Kenninghall, Norfolk. After its closure in 1902 the site was acquired by the Rev Harold Burden

Union Workhouse, Sleaford, Lincolnshire
An aerial view of the Sleaford Union workhouse. Designed by William J Donthorn, the building was erected in 1837-8 on East Gate in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. The site later became known as Slea View

Rochdale Union Workhouse, Dearnley, Lancashire
The approach to the Rochdale Union workhouse, opened in 1877 at Dearnley, near Rochdale, Lancashire. The site later became Birch Hill Hospital

Withington Hospital, Manchester
Entrance to Withington Hospital, Nell Lane, Manchester, opened in 1855 as Chorlton Union workhouse. A horse and carriage stands outside the gates

Whipps Cross Hospital, Essex
Entrance to Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone, Essex. Several patients can be see in beds on the open balconies. The hospital was opened in 1903 by the West Ham Union for the sick poor in the area

Walton Hospital, Liverpool
Walton Hospital, Rice Lane, Walton on the Hill, Liverpool. The central clock tower concealed a large water storage tank. The building was designed by William Culshaw

Union Workhouse and Infirmary, Crumpsall, Manchester
Aerial view of the Manchester Union workhouse and infirmary at Crumpsall. At the bottom of the picture can be seen the original workhouse (later Springfield Hospital) with an entrance on the right

Congleton Union Workhouse, Arclid, Cheshire
Aerial view of Congleton Union workhouse at Arclid, Sandbach, Cheshire. The building, erected in 1844-5, was designed by Henry Bowman. It later became Arclid Hospital

Union Workhouse, Wokingham, Berkshire
The Wokingham Union workhouse, Berkshire. The workhouse, opened in 1850 on Barkham Road, Wokingham, later became Wokingham Hospital

Union Workhouse, Wantage, Oxfordshire
The Wantage Union workhouse, Oxfordshire. The workhouse, designed by Sampson Kempthorne, was erected in 1836 on Hungerford Road, Wantage, and later became the Downs Hospital

Poplar Workhouse, East London
A side view of one of the blocks of the Poplar Union workhouse, located on Poplar High Street, East London

Christmas Day in the Workhouse
Illustration and opening verses of In the Workhouse: Christmas Day - better known as Christmas Day in the Workhouse, written by George R Sims in 1877

Stobhill Hospital, Springburn, Glasgow, Scotland
Stobhill Hospital was erected in 1903-4 at Springburn, Glasgow, by the citys poor law authority. It provided around 2000 beds for the infirm and chronically sick poor, and for children

Union Workhouse, Todmorden, West Yorkshire
The Todmorden Union workhouse at Lee Bottom near Mankinholes, West Yorkshire, erected in 1877. The site later became Stansfield View Hospital

Training Ship Mercury, River Hamble, Hampshire
The Training Ship Mercury was established in 1885 by the London philanthropist Charles Hoare. The ship, a barque previously named Illova, was originally moored at Binstead on the Isle of Wight

Exminster Asylum, Devon
The administrative building of the Exminster Asylum, opened in 1845 as the Devon County Lunatic Asylum. It was later known as the Devon County Mental Hospital, then as Exminster Hospital

Highwood Hospital, Brentwood, Essex
Aerial view of Highwood (or High Wood) Hospital, Brentwood, Essex, used for the care of children with tuberculosis. The site was originally opened by the Metropolitan Asylums Board in 1904 for

Barming Asylum, Maidstone, Kent
The main building of Barming Asylum located on Hermitage Lane, Barming Heath, Maidstone, Kent, opened in around 1833. Also known as the Kent County Lunatic Asylum, then renamed Oakwood Hospital

Union Workhouse, Halifax, West Yorkshire
The Halifax Union workhouse on Gibbet Street, Halifax, West Yorkshire. After 1930, it became St Johns Public Assistance Institution

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