BEDWELLTY WORKHOUSE (The Spike)
In these early days there was no welfare state with unemployment and
sickness benefits and if a person did not work both he and his family would
starve. If it was proved that this person could not possibly provide for him
or herself there was another option open and it was very formidable and
humiliating.
Since the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536 there has been a Poor Law
of one type or another in England and Wales. These laws made the
responsibility of disabled people, whether they were old, lame or blind, the
responsibility of the Parish. Each Parish was encouraged to have it's own
"Poor House" where these poor unfortunate people could be housed and put
to work to pay for their keep. To discorouge people from making a claim, the
residents were kept under a strict regime of bed to work to bed. The living
conditions were intended to be lower than the lowest paid worker.
On entry to the establishment, the claimants would be stripped, bathed and
given a "uniform" of the poorest possible quality and then separated from
other family members and forbidden to make contact with them again. These
"Poor Laws" were brought together to try to reduce the spiraling costs to
the Parish.
Under the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834,one change that was brought
about was the Union Workhouses where a number of Parishes would merge
together in one building. The Bedwellty Union was formed in 1849 and a
Union Workhouse was erected on a hill on the outskirts of Tredegar in 1852.
This building was the Bedwellty Union Workhouse or "Ty-Bryn" known locally
as "The Spike" and was for the Parishes of Abertillery, Aberstruth,
Bedwellty, Ebbw Vale, Rhymney and Tredegar. The building was built of stone
and a very austere accomodation for 311 inmates. The Guardian minute books
for Bedwellty Workhouse from 1849 until 1930 are now in the Gwent County
Records Office in Cwmbran.
During the General Strike of 1926 and general depression that followed,
Many workhouses went bankrupt and closed but many carried on. In April
1930 the responsibilities of the Board of Guardians of the Bedwellty
Workhouse were taken over by Monmouthshire County Council. The National
Health Act of 1946 came into effect in July 1948 and made the
responsibility for these institutions to come under the Hospital Management
Committees Bedwellty Workhouse was to become St. James' hospital. It
became the second hospital in Tredegar and provided Maternity Services for
Tredegar and surrounding areas.
The 10th April 1970 saw the opening of Neville Hall Hospital, Abergavenny,
by the Rt Hon George Thomas, MP and Secretary of State for Wales. This
was a modern and well equipt hospital meant to cover the area of East
Monmouthshire. From this time, many of the smaller Community Hospitals in
the area closed or the status was down graded. St James' Hospital closed to
the public in 1976 and the building was demolished in 1979
Bedwellty Union Workhouse
Name
Surname Status
Samuel
Ann
Elizabeth
Ann
Ann
George
Bolton
Bevan
Evans
Lewis
Jones
Watkins
married
unmarried
single
W
unmarried
unmarried
Age
43
36
23
47
37
36
Occupation
master of the workhouse
Matron
school mistress of workhouse industrial trainer
cook of the workhouse
porter of the workhouse