Ancestry UK

Brinton and Melton Constable, Norfolk

[Up to 1834] [After 1834] [Inmates] [Records] [Bibliography] [Links]

Up to 1834

On 14th April, 1783, the parish of Brinton united with the parish of Melton Constable & Burgh Parva to form the first of the Norfolk Gilbert Unions established under Gilbert's Act of 1782. The Act allowed groups of parishes to set up a common workhouse for the old, the sick and the infirm, and children. A union workhouse for about 40 inmates was erected soon afterwards at the south of Melton Constable. The workhouse site is shown on the 1886 map below.

Brinton and Melton Constable workhouse site, 1886.

Brinton and Melton Constable workhouse from the south, 2000.
© Peter Higginbotham.

The building had a T-shaped central portion with wings each side accommodating male and female inmates.

Brinton and Melton Constable workhouse from the north-east, 2000.
© Peter Higginbotham.

After 1834

Because of their Gilbert Union status, Brinton and Melton Constable were immune from most of the provisions of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act and continued in operation until 1869 when all remaining Gilbert Unions were finally abolished. The parishes then joined the Walsingham Poor Law Union. The former workhouse is now a private house.

Inmates

Records

Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.

  • No local records survive.

Bibliography

  • Digby, Anne. Pauper Palaces (1978, Routledge & Kegan Paul)

Links

  • None.

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