Docking, Norfolk
Up to 1834
A pair of cottages on Manor Road in Dersingham once served as a local workhouse.
Dersingham former workhouse, 2005.
© Peter Higginbotham.
In about 1783, the parish of South Creake set up a workhouse under Gilbert's Act.
After 1834
Docking Poor Law Union was formed on 1st August 1835. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, 53 in number, representing its 36 constituent parishes as listed below (figures in brackets indicate numbers of Guardians if more than one):
County of Norfolk:
Anmer, Bagthorpe, Barmer, Barwick, Bircham Newton, Bircham Tofts, Brancaster (2), Broomsthorpe, Burnham Deepdale, Burnham Norton, Burnham Overy (2), Burnham Thorpe, Burnham Ulph and Sutton, Burnham Westgate (3), North Creake (2), South Creake (2), Dersingham (2), Docking (3), East Rudham (3), Fring, Great Bircham, Heacham (2), Holme-next-the-Sea, Houghton, Hunstanton, Ingoldisthorpe, Great Ringstead (2), Sedgeford (2), Shernborne, Snettisham (3), Stanhoe, Syderstone, Thornham (2), Titchwell, Waterden, West Rudham.
Later Additions: Choseley, New Hunstanton.
The population falling within the Union at the 1831 census had been 15,376 with parishes ranging in size from Broomsthorpe (population 13) to Docking itself (1,406). The average annual poor-rate expenditure for the period 1832-35 had been £16,840 or £1.1s.5d. per head.
The new workhouse was built in 1835-6 on the Heacham Road to the west of Docking. The Poor Law Commissioners authorised an expenditure of £9,125 on construction of the building which was to accommodate 450 inmates. It was designed by John Brown, the Norfolk county surveyor. Brown designed several other Norfolk workhouses at Blofield, Henstead and Yarmouth, as well as ones in Suffolk (Plomesgate, Stow), and Essex (Colchester). Like Blofield and Henstead, Docking was based on a double-cruciform plan. Its location layout can be seen on the 1904 map below.
Docking workhouse site, 1904.
Docking general view from the north, 2000.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Docking workhouse entrance from the north, c.1905.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Docking entrance from the north, 2000.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Docking main block western section from the north, 2000.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Docking from the south-west, 2000.
© Peter Higginbotham.
The former workhouse building, now having lost all its north and south ranges, has been converted to residential use.
Staff
Inmates
Records
- Norfolk Record Office, The Archive Centre, Martineau Lane, Norwich NR1 2DQ. Holdings include: Guardians' minute books (1836-1922, 1925-30); Ledgers (1836-1930, with gaps); Workhouse admissions and discharges (1902-5, 1907-9, 1916-30); Children's Homes admissions and discharges (1915-37); Births (1837-1930); Deaths (1837-1914); etc.
Bibliography
Links
- None.
This page () is copyright Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.
