Thursday 29 March 2012

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

Bank Street Poorhouse was built in the 1720's and served Tonbridge until 1845 when it opened as Bank Street School. The building has been refurbished into offices and is now occupied by Warners Solicitors.

3 comments:

  1. Hi Tonbridge, I thought you may find the following interesting.

    Tonbridge Union Poorhouse Census 6 June 1841.

    Under 1yr...MALES...3 FEMALES...3
    1-9yrs......MALES..25 FEMALES..31
    10-19.......MALES..27 FEMALES..19
    20-29.......MALES...2 FEMALES..14
    30-39.......MALES...2 FEMALES...9
    40-49.......MALES...2 FEMALES...4
    50-59.......MALES...0 FEMALES...0
    60-69.......MALES..10 FEMALES...7
    70-79.......MALES...8 FEMALES...1
    80-85.......MALES...4 FEMALES...0

    Of the babies only one had a first name:
    Ellen Marshall 6mths
    Female Simmons 4mths
    Male Dibley 10wks
    Male Mitchell 9wks
    Female Steed 4wks
    Male Young 7days

    The men over 80yrs, all Labourers were:
    Richard Butcher 80
    Benjamin Heasman 80
    Richard Huggett 80
    William Wynne 80
    For most of the 1841 Census', after the age of 20yrs the ages are rounded down to the nearest 0 or 5, hence all the old men could have been 84.

    Occupations for all but six inmates given as:
    Children..No Occupation
    Men..Labourer
    Women..Servant

    The six exceptions are:
    William Wilson 70, Staymaker
    George Roots 60, Hatter
    Thomas Smith 60, Cordwainer
    Mary Brotherhood 45, Non Compos Mentis
    William Standen 25, Carpenter
    Thomas Boorman 15, Non Compos Mentis

    In total there were 83 males and 88 females.
    Born in Kent..158
    Born in Ireland..2
    Born out of Kent 11

    What I want to know is, as there were no people in their 50's in the Poorhouse at that time, what did they know that the others didn't!

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  2. Thanks for all this census information. Fantastic detail. I hope someone can answer your question - it's a good one.

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  3. handyplasterer2 April 2012 at 17:12

    Baby Ellen Marshall was still in the Poorhouse on the 1851 census. Her brother Henry 17 and sister Sarah 12 are also there.
    Looking at the 1841 Poorhouse census again, I see there were five Marshall children and their mother Sarah 35yrs.

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