Manchester City Council

The Manchester Union workhouse was originally situated in New Bridge Street (built 1792), but when this building proved inadequate for its purpose a new workhouse was built in Crumpsall in 1855 on a site adjacent to the Prestwich Union Workhouse just north of Crescent Road.

The aged and infirm remained at New Bridge Street until 1875 when an Infirmary was opened with the workhouse at Crumpsall. However the head offices remained at New Bridge Street and destitute people would apply for relief there before they were sent to either the Infirmary or the Workhouse. We hold creed registers for New Bridge Street Workhouse, 1881-1899 (on microfilm MFPR 1999 and MF 3009) and 1900-1914 (ref: Archives M4/11/17-31).

By 1930 the Manchester Union Workhouse had become known as Crumpsall Institution. It was renamed Park House Hospital in 1939, and with the introduction of the National Health Services in 1948, became Springfield Hospital. The Infirmary later became known as Crumpsall Hospital. In 1972 the Springfield Hospital and Crumpsall Hospital amalgamated with Delaunay's Hospital to form Manchester General Hospital.

We hold some records for Crumpsall Workhouse and Hospital (ref: M326). Please note no records of inmates survive prior to 1907. However although a small proportion of inmates in Crumpsall can be found in the New Bridge Street creed registers 1881-1914.

For a history of the hospital see Susan Hall and D.L. Perry, Crumpsall Hospital: "The Story of a Hundred Years, 1876-1976" (Upjohn and Bottomley,1976) which is held in the Local Studies Library (362.11Ha). For a history of the workhouse see Mark Greenwood Springfield Hospital: The Human History, 1855-1995 (Manchester Health Authority, 1997), also held in the Local Studies Library (362.21Gr).