Truro, Cornwall Poor Law Union

Truro Poor Law Union
In 1743, Lord Falmouth contributed £500 towards the erection of a workhouse on St Clement's Street for St Mary's parish. A parliamentary report of 1777 recorded that Truro's workhouse could house up to 56 inmates. The building proved inadequate, however, and in 1779 the city corporation granted St Mary's a 500-year lease on Hospital Meadow (near where Pydar Street now stands), at an annual rent of one pound, on which to build a new workhouse for eighty inmates. In April 1781, the parish vestry appointed William Brewer and his son, also named William, 'to superintend and manage the workhouse and to employ the poor placed therein'.

The St Mary's workhouse was also used by the parish of St Clement's. However, in 1829 St Clement's built a new workhouse for 150 inmates at the top of St Clement's Hill.

Kenwyn's parish workhouse stood in Kenwyn Street. In 1777, it could house 50 inmates. Truro Poor Law Union was formed on 12th May 1837

The Union comprised the following Parishes:

Baldhu, Cornwall Chacewater, Cornwall Cornelly, Cornwall Feock, Cornwall Kea, Cornwall Kenwyn, Cornwall Ladock, Cornwall Lamorran, Cornwall Merther, Cornwall Mithian, Cornwall Mount Hawke, Cornwall Perranzabuloe, Cornwall Philleigh, Cornwall Probus, Cornwall Ruan Lanihorne, Cornwall St Agness, Cornwall

Records
Cornwall Archives and Libraries surviving records include Guardians' minute books (1857-1930); Ledgers (1857-66, 1875-1914, 1916-28)

Web Sites
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?Truro/Truro.shtml