Chorlton, Lancashire Poor Law Union

History
For more information see The Workhouse, Chorlton, Lancashire

Records
Chorlton Union workhouse and hospital registers at Withington, 1857-1949 Microfilm of original records formerly held at the Manchester Archives, Central Library in Manchester, England. Withington is a township, and a chapelry in Manchester parish. Manchester Archives Central Library call nos.: M 327/1/1/1-10, M 327/1/2/1-22, M 327/2/2/1-20.

•Greater Manchester County Record Office (with Manchester Archives), 56 Marshall Street, New Cross, Manchester, M4 5FU. Relatively few records survive — holdings include: Lists of emigrant children sent to Canada and other countries (1889-1947, indexed); Ledgers (1837-1915) with gaps; etc.

The Chorlton Union Register of children sent to Canada covers the period 1892 - 1947. The Manchester Archives reference is M4/60/2. The register is named indexed and Manchester Archives will do searches in the restricted sections on a request subject to certain conditions. Although the register title suggests that all the children were sent to Canada, a few of the children were sent elsewhere. There are details relating to children who had been at Styal Cottage Homes.

In handling these records they vary considerably in the extent of information recorded but some can be very detailed and include employment in Canada. Typically the records contain favourable/unfavourable reports from Canadian agents about the conduct of the child being supervised and significant changes.

Some other countries also received children from Styal but predominantly these records are Canadian.

Web Sites
The Workhouse for images maps and plans of the Chorlton workhouse and Nell Lane Schools and Homes, Rhodes Memorial Home and Styal Homes

Gerard Lodge website content including representative case notes and advertisements for institutions relating to Manchester for several Poor Law Unions at his excellent website The Manchester Family History