St. Mary’s Workhouse Day Book. 1829.

“St. Mary’s Workhouse Day Book of 1829 offers a rare glimpse into the daily workings of a Dover workhouse, revealing the ebb and flow of life within its walls. This ledger meticulously records the arrivals and departures, deaths, and daily expenses, painting a vivid picture of the era’s social dynamics. The entries, ranging from the mundane to the poignant, encapsulate the struggles and resilience of the workhouse’s inhabitants. This historical document not only charts the comings and goings but also mirrors the broader societal conditions of early 19th-century Dover, offering an insightful window into a bygone era of hardship and survival.”

Daily Entries:

1st January.
Sarah Downie left the house.
Emma Downie left the house.
Hester Bennett left the house.
Phillip Smith left the house.
Thomas Merrett left the house.
John Bennett left the house.
John Bennett left the house.
Paid for butter 7d.
Paid for yeast 3/-
William Smith died.
Received George Anderson 24 years.
Received Frances Anderson 24 years.
Received Jemima Anderson 2 years.
Received Thomas Anderson 7 months.

6th January.
Received George Friend 20 years left 9th January.
Elizabeth Downie left the house.
Sarah Mackenzie left the house.
Susan Roust left the house.
Mary Rouse left the house.
Lydia Wilson left the house.

9th January.
Received Mary Wood 42 years.
Received Charlotte Wood 12 years.
Received William Newington 12 years.
Received John Hubarb 25 years.
Received James Richards 23 years.
Received Robert West 20 years.
Received Ann Clark 26 years.
Received Sarah Clark 7 years.
Received Elizabeth Clark 5 years.
Received Henry Clark 10 years.
Received James Clark 2 years.
Received Robert Clark 6 months.

20th January.
Received Edward Frasier age 30 years.
Received Ann West age 30 years.
Received William West age 12 years.
Received Sarah West age 7 years.
Received Elizabeth Dennis age 20 years.

21st January.
Received Sarah Mackenzie age 13 years.
Received Samuel West 30 years.

24th January.
Paid for yeast 3/-.

25th January.
George Ringwood died.
Ann West died.
Sarah West left the house.
William West left the house.

27th January.
Paid postage from London 9d.
Paid for fish 1/-

28th January.
Received Elizabeth Price age 39 years.
Received William Price 2 years.
Received Mary Price age 9 years.
Received John Price 1 month.
Paid Charlton poor subs. 6/-.

30th January.
Received William Procter age 17 years.
Received John Reed 35 years.
Paid for fish 6d.
Paid for yeast 3/-.
Received Elizabeth Smead age 17 years.
John Rice died.
Paid for Basto for oven 3/-.
Paid funeral expenses William Coulthorp 6/-.

31st January.
Paid funeral expenses Ann West 6/-.
Paid funeral expenses George Ringwood 6/-.
Paid for milk 16/4.
Paid poor money £8-5s-5d.
Paid scavenger act £2-14s-9d.

1st February.
Received Hannah Hedgecock.
Received Louise Hedgecock 5 years.
Received Louise Hedgecock age 2 months.

2nd February.
John Read left the house.
Paid ditto by order of the guardians £2-0-0d.
Paid sack sand-dust 6d.

3rd February.
Paid christening Mrs Isle child 1/6.
Paid for fish 1/-.

6th February.
Received William Page age 20 years.

7th February.
Received James Davey age 30 years.
Received Rebecca Davey 28 years.
Received Malitda Davey age 4 years.
Received Amelia Davey 5 months
Received Edmond Davey 2 years.
Paid for fish 6/-
Paid for yeast 3/-.

9th February.
Received John Hedgecock.
Louise Hedgecock died.

13th February.
Paid for christening Mrs Parson’s boy 1/6.
Received Edward Harris 64 years.
Received Rebecca Harris 46 years.
Received Ann Harris 14 years.
Received Edward Harris junior 7 years.
Received William Harris age 1 year.
Paid carriage of Hogs wife and children to Ramsgate and self back £1-6s-0d.
Paid ditto expenses at Ramsgate 4/6.

14th February.
Paid for yeast.

16th February.
Paid expenses removing Mrs Mallingly.
Paid ditto Barham 8/6
Received Sarah Davis.
Omit 4 Martha Wellard died cash forwarded £2-15s-0d

19th February.
Paid killing hogs 2/6
Paid fish 1/-.
Paid for clothes line 2/9

21st February.
Paid for yeast 3/-.

22nd February.
Paid postage letter from London 11d.

23rd February.
James Davey left the house.
George Harris left the house.

24th February.
Paid postage of a letter from London 9d.

25th February.
John Epps left the house.
Paid ditto 2/-.

26th February.
Mary Bailey delivered of a boy.
Robert West left the house.
Paid 300 Bovins 9/-.

27th February.
Paid funeral expenses Price 6/-.
Ditto Louisa Hedgecock 6/-.

28th February.
Paid for yeast 3/6.
Paid for milk 13/3.
Paid pence money washing 3 pieces of linen and manglin.
Paid ditto for cutting 14 quarter beans for Mr Morris 6/-
Paid Mr Davidson 1/8
Paid ditto for 4 mens work 4 weeks on board Mr Fritters collier 16/-.
Paid pence money £6-13s-10d.
Paid ditto scavenger act £2-0s-6d.
Paid Mr Cullin 5/10d.

1st March.
George Anderson left the house.
Mary Harris left the house.
Sarah Harris left the house.
John Harris left the house.
Hannah Hedgecock left the house.
Hannah Hedgecock left the house.
Sarah Godden left the house.

3rd March.
Received Mary Jones age 63 years.
Received Ann Landle age 38 years.
Received Henry Landle age 11 years.
Received Sarah Landle age 9 years.
Received William Landle age 4 years.
Received Hestor/n Landle age 2 years.
Received Caroline Landle 1 year.
Paid expenses removing Mary Martin to Sandwich 13/-.

6th March.
Received Richard Lawrence age 16 years.
Received Richard Dickson age 31 years.

7th March.
Paid for fish 1/-.
Paid for yeast 3/-.

9th March.
Sebastian Hedges left the house.
Mary Hedges left the house.
Sarah Hedges left the house.
John Hedges left the house.
Paid ditto by order of guardians £1-0-0.
William Pope left the house.
Paid ditto expenses removing ditto to Romney £1-8s-0d.

10th March.
Elizabeth Herne left the house.
Paid for grinding tailors scissors 8d – needles 6d = ½.
Received Margaret Dixon age 30 years.
Received Henry Dixon age 5 years.
Paid Charlton poor sess. 6/-.

12th March.
Received Mary Gibbon age 30 years.

13th March.
Paid for fish 1/-.
Paid for yeast 6d.

14th March.
Paid sack sand-dust 6d.
Paid 11b. butter 1/2
Paid for yeast 3/-.

15th March.
Enid Farrier died.
Stephen Horn died.

18th March.
Elizabeth Price left the house.
Mary Price left the house.
William Price left the house.
Paid ditto by order of guardians’ 6/-.
Ann Marsh left the house.
Carried forward £4-3s-10d.

20th March.
Paid postage letter from Ramsgate 8d.

21st March.
Elizabeth Marsh left the house.
Paid ditto expenses to London 10/-.
Paid for butter 1/2
Paid for yeast.

23rd March.
Received Robert West age 23 years.

25th March.
Paid christening Mary Bailey boy 1/6.

27th March.
James Richards left the house.
Robert West left the house.

28th March.
Received Ann Irons senior age 34 years.
Received Ann Irons junior age 4 years.
Paid for fish 1/-.
Paid for butter 1/2
Paid for yeast 3/-

29th March.
Received Jane Allen age 15 years.
Paid funeral expenses Thomas White 6/-.
Paid ditto Thomas Reader 6/-.
Paid Charlton church sess. 6/-.
Paid for milk 16/10.
Paid poor pence money £6-13s-8d.
Paid scavenging act £2-8s-0d.
Quarter salary £12-10s-0d.

31st March.
Paid funeral expenses Stephen Horn 6/-.
Paid ditto for Edward Farrier 6/-.
Paid ditto for Sarah Read 6/-.

1st April.
Paid for fish 1/-
Paid for yeast 3/-
Paid for butter 1/2

6th April.
Sarah Mackenzie left the house.
Mary Fill left the house.
Elizabeth Dennis left the house.

9th April.
Mrs Landle delivered of a girl.
Paid for fish 1/-

11th April.
Ann Irons left the house.
Ann Irons junior left the house
Paid ditto 1/-
Paid for butter 1/2
Paid for yeast 3/-
Paid 400 Bovins 12/-