Maldon, Essex Poor Law Union

History
A workhouse was built in Maldon in around 1715 under the terms of the will of Thomas Plumb (1630-1704) Archdeacon of Rochester for "erecting a workhouse for the poor of Maldon ...". Situated on Market Hill, it served the parishes of Maldon All Saints with St Peter, Essex, and Maldon St Mary, Essex and was later extended.

A workhouse is also recorded at Southminster, Essex.

The 1777 Parliamentary report includes workhouses operating at:

Burnham (for up to 24), Goldhanger (18), Maldon—St Mary (40), Purleigh (20), Southminster (30), Steeple (6), Stow Maries (10), Tillingham (6), Tollesbury (2), Tolleshunt Darcy (10), Tolleshunt Major (10), Great Totham (20), Little Totham (16), Woodham Ferrers (30). Additional subsequent workhouses can be documented at Woodham Walter Wickham Bishop Maldon Poor Law Union was formed on 14th December 1835. Initially, the new union took over the existing Maldon workhouse. The buildings were enlarged with a new top floor, porch and high wall being added. It could then hold 350 men, women and children supervised by Master and Matron and school teachers. Following the erection of the new workhouse in the 1870s, the old building was refronted, with new doors and bay windows added. It was sold at auction at Kings Head Maldon on 31 August 1875 in 2 lots: the main block and, separately, the outbuildings and school. The building was redeveloped into houses and flats during the 1980s and now bears a commemorative plaque provided by Maldon District Council and the Maldon Society. In 1872-3 on a five-acre site on Spital Road in Maldon, a new Maldon Union workhouse was built to accommodate 450. After 1930, the workhouse was redesignated as a Public Assistance Institution. After 1948, it joined the National Health Service as St Peter's Hospital. In recent times, the lodge has been used as mental illness day unit, and the converted chapel as a staff social club.

Constituent Parishes
Althorne, Essex

Asheldham, Essex

Bradwell on Sea, Essex

Burnham on Crouch, Essex

Cold Norton, Essex

Creeksea, Essex

Dengie, Essex

Goldhanger, Essex

Great Totham, Essex

Hazeleigh, Essex

Heybridge, Essex

Langford, Essex

Latchingdon with Snoreham, Essex

Maldon All Saints with St Peter, Essex

Maldon St Mary, Essex

Mayland, Essex

Mundon, Essex

North Fambridge, Essex

Purleigh, Essex

Southminster, Essex

St Lawrence Newland, Essex

Steeple, Essex

Stow Maries, Essex

Tillingham, Essex

Tollesbury, Essex

Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex

Tolleshunt Knights, Essex

Tolleshunt Major, Essex

Woodham Mortimer, Essex

Woodham Walter, Essex

Later Additions (all from 1883 closure of Witham Poor Law Union, Essex):

Great Braxted, Essex

Little Braxted, Essex

Ulting, Essex

Wickham Bishops, Essex

Records
Essex Record Office, Wharf Road Chelmsford CM2 6YT. Holdings include: Guardians' minutes (1835-1930); Ledgers (1835-1930); Births (1836-61); Deaths (1836-62, 1866-1914); Creed register (1900-14); Casuals' admissions and discharges (1914-25, 1932); Indoor relief lists (1839-1930) D/DCf B513 MALDON Poor Law Union G/M W67 Admission papers to WORKHOUSE 1912-1927 G/M W66 Register of Deaths 1909-1914

G/M W65 Register of Deaths 1888-1908

G/M W64 Register of Deaths 1866-1888

G/M W63 Register of Deaths 1861-1862

G/M W62 Register of Deaths 1836-1861

G/M W61 Register of Births 1836-1861

G/M W60 Creed Register 1914-1940

G/M W59 Creed Register 1911-1914 G/M W58 Creed Register 1900-1911

G/M W56 WORKHOUSE Medical Relief Book 1874

G/M W55 WORKHOUSE Medical Relief Book 1873-1874

G/M W54 WORKHOUSE Medical Relief Book 1872-1873

G/M W53 WORKHOUSE Medical Relief Book 1872

G/M W52 WORKHOUSE Medical Relief Book 1871-1872

Transcript of register of deaths occurring in St Peter's WORKHOUSE, MALDON, 1836-1861 Gives age, parish of abode and of death

Original deposited in E.R.O. and catalogued as G/MW 62 1836-1861

Websites
Workhouses site