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Leicester Union Workhouse
  • Following the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, the Leicester Union Workhouse opened in 1839 to help the most poor in society
  • The workhouse was rebuilt to house over 1000 inmates, but living and working conditions were made harsh to keep people away
  • Responsibility for the workhouse passed to the NHS and in 1960 it became Hillcrest Hospital, an elderly people’s home

Help for the Poor

The first half of the 1800s saw an increase in unemployment and rising prices. Many people found themselves needing food and somewhere to live. The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act meant that the only way to get help was to move into a workhouse. Inside the workhouse, conditions were harsh, and you had to work hard. This was to stop people going to the workhouse. In 1836 eight local councils joined together to form the Leicester Union and together planned a new workhouse.

Leicester’s New Workhouse

In 1839 the new workhouse was opened. It was designed by William Flint who was from Leicester. It housed 650 people and was one of the largest workhouses in England. Between 1850-1851 it was substantially rebuilt to house over 1,000 people. Inmates had to wear a uniform and were given very plain food including bread and dripping (made from animal fat). In 1879 Joseph Carey Merrick, also known by the stage name The Elephant Man, entered Leicester Union Workhouse.

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Entrance gates and lodges of the Leicester workhouse

The End of the Poor Law

In 1948 the last elements of Poor Law were removed. A new benefit called National Assistance was introduced. In the 1960s the Leicester Union Workhouse became Hillcrest Hospital, a home for older people. However, along with some of the structure of the workhouse, the stigma of its history also remained. Hillcrest closed in 1974 and the building was demolished in 1977. Today, only the gateposts from the old workhouse building remain. The site is now home to Moat Community College which opened in 1981.

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Nursing staff pose for a photograph in one of the women's wards at Hillcrest
Timeline
Victorian Leicester

Gallery

1881 Census listing of Joseph Merrick (Row 11) -
1881 Census listing of Joseph Merrick (Row 11)
Mayor of Leicester Amos Sherriff handing out Christmas food parcels at the workhouse, c1920 - Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Record Office
Mayor of Leicester Amos Sherriff handing out Christmas food parcels at the workhouse, c1920
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Record Office
A look inside Hillcrest Hospital, c1970 - Barbara Hind, De Montfort University
A look inside Hillcrest Hospital, c1970
Barbara Hind, De Montfort University
Hillcrest Hospital prior to demolition - Leicester Mercury
Hillcrest Hospital prior to demolition
Leicester Mercury
Hillcrest Hospital, 1965 - Leicester Mercury
Hillcrest Hospital, 1965
Leicester Mercury
Elderly inmates at the Leicester workhouse, c1890 - Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Record Office
Elderly inmates at the Leicester workhouse, c1890
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Record Office
Nursing staff pose for a photograph in one of the women's wards at Hillcrest - Leicester Mercury
Nursing staff pose for a photograph in one of the women's wards at Hillcrest
Leicester Mercury
Entrance gate and lodges of the Leicester workhouse - Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland
Entrance gate and lodges of the Leicester workhouse
Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland

Roman Leicester

(47- 500) A military fort was erected, attracting traders and a growing civilian community to Leicester (known as Ratae Corieltauvorum to the Romans). The town steadily grew throughout the reign of the Romans.

Medieval Leicester

(500 – 1500) The early years of this period was one of unrest with Saxon, Danes and Norman invaders having their influences over the town. Later, of course, came Richard III and the final battle of the Wars of the Roses was fought on Leicester’s doorstep.

Tudor & Stuart Leicester

(1500 – 1700) The wool trade flourished in Leicester with one local, a former mayor named William Wigston, making his fortune. During the English Civil War a bloody battle was fought as the forces of King Charles I laid siege to the town.

Georgian Leicester

(1700 – 1837) The knitting industry had really stared to take hold and Leicester was fast becoming the main centre of hosiery manufacture in Britain. This new prosperity was reflected throughout the town with broader, paved streets lined with elegant brick buildings and genteel residences.

Victorian Leicester

(1837 – 1901) The industrial revolution had a huge effect on Leicester resulting in the population growing from 40,000 to 212,000 during this period. Many of Leicester's most iconic buildings were erected during this time as wealthy Victorians made their mark on the town.

Edwardian Leicester

(1901 – 1910) Electric trams came to the streets of Leicester and increased literacy among the citizens led to many becoming politicised. The famous 1905 ‘March of the Unemployed to London’ left from Leicester market when 30,000 people came to witness the historic event.

Early 20th Century Leicester

(1910 – 1973) The diverse industrial base meant Leicester was able to cope with the economic challenges of the 1920s and 1930s. New light engineering businesses, such as typewriter and scientific instrument making, complemented the more traditional industries of hosiery and footwear manufacturing.

Modern Leicester

(1973 – present day) Industry was still thriving in the city during the 1970s, with the work opportunities attracting many immigrants from all over the world. While industry has declined in recent years, excellent transport links have made Leicester an attractive centre for many businesses. The City now has much to be proud of including its sporting achievements and the richness of its cultural heritage and diversity.

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Continue exploring

A Working Town

Auto-Magic Car Park (Lee Circle)

Originally known as the Auto-Magic Car Park, Lee Circle is the oldest multi-storey car park in Europe.
The Vulcan Works

Brothers Josiah and Benjamin Gimson started their engineering business in 1842. The Vulcan Works was built for their Company between 1876 and 1879. It was one of the earliest in Britain to combine an iron foundry with an engineering works.
Samworth Brothers

The Samworth Brothers connection with Leicester dates from 1986 when the family business purchased of famous Leicester pie makers, Walker & Son.
Leicester Market

Leicester Market has been a place of social and cultural importance since the 13th century when it became the centre for trade in the area. The first mention of it was in 1298 when a market larger than today’s took place ‘bounded by the city walls and the corn wall’, which was used by horse dealers to display the speed of their animals.
Abbey Pumping Station

This impressive Victorian building is a fitting tribute to the importance of the hygienic disposal of sewage. It is the only engine house in the world where you can still see four working examples of the Woolf compound rotative beam engine in one building.
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