Poor Law and Workhouse Records

All Microfilm / Microfiche

Available at the Manchester Room@City Library (booking advisable). These can also be accessed on-line at findmypast.

Archives (items with prefix Archives)

Available at the Greater Manchester County Record Office (appointment essential). 

More information about these services.  

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The first Chorlton Union workhouse was located on Stretford New Road, near Leaf Street, and accommodated 300 inmates. However, this became inadequate to cope with the demands of the rapidly increasing population of the area and the Guardians decided that a completely new workhouse was needed.

The Chorlton Union Workhouse, Nell Lane, Withington was opened in 1855. The workhouse site also included the Chorlton Union Cemetery which served the Chorlton Union area as well the workhouse and hospital until it reached its capacity in 1920. The cemetery was formally closed in 1970 and the remains were re-interred at Southern Cemetery where some remains had already been re-interred in order to accommodate the building of Princess Road over the old cemetery site. During the First World War the hospital became a military hospital and it is sometimes known as Nell Lane Military Hospital.

We hold a good set of records of Withington Hospital and Workhouse (ref: Archives GB127.M327). The following are particularly useful for family historians:

• Birth registers 1857-1920 (on microfilm MF 3000-3002 or on-line at findmypast up to 1911)
• Death registers (includes place of burial) 1857-1949 (on microfilm MF 3000-3002 or on-line at findmypast)
• Creed registers (give admission and discharge details), 1869-Sep 1911 (on microfilm, MF 3003-3008, MF 3033-3041 or on-line at findmypast); Oct 1911-1914 (ref: Archives GB127.M327/2/2/31-36)
• Admission and discharge registers 1870-1884 (on microfilm, MF 3043-3046 or on-line at findmypast)
• Interment registers Mar 1898--May 1922 (on microfilm, MF 3030-3032 or on-line at findmypast); Jun 1922-1944 (Archives GB127.M327/2/5/5-20)
• Cemetery reference book 1857-1891 (ref: Archives GB127.M327/2/6/1)
• Chaplaincy registers, of baptism 1849-1924 (ref: Archives GB127.M327/2/7/1-2)

Lancashire Record Office holds Roman Catholic baptism and confirmation registers, 1857-1973, and chaplains' report books, 1921-1955, for Withington Workhouse and Hospital (ref: RCWI acc 9126).

For a history of the hospital see Gerard Edwards, The Road to Barlow Moor. The Story of Withington Hospital, Manchester (Gerard Edwards, 1975) which is held in the Manchester Room@City Library (q 362.11 EDI).