One particular family in my YELLOW line of Adamthwaites had close associations with Kensington and Paddington Workhouses.  Edward Adamthwaite  was born at Adamthwaite, Ravenstonedale in February 1771.  We know that he walked to London, presumably to find employment, however the 1841 census shows him resident in the Kensington Workhouse.  He died there on the 2nd June 1845. How long was he in the workhouse?

His wife Mary Newbury is shown in the 1861 Census as being an inmate Shoe Binder of Paddington Workhouse where she died six years later on 10th June 1867 aged 87 years. Where was she before this?

One of their sons, Joseph James Adamthwaite died in Paddington Workhouse aged 56 years on the 20th March 1865. He was a Domestic Servant and died from Congestive Bronchitis.

Another two of their sons died in infirmaries attached to the old workhouses. On the 24th March 1894 Charles Newbury Adamthwaite died in Paddington Infirmary aged 69 years from. The 1891 census shows him as an 'inmate of an institution' aged 61  widower and General Labourer but his address at time of death was 3 Charlotte Place, Paddington. Earlier he was described as a 'Parish Roadsweeper' probably when he was in the workhouse. His older brother, Henry Edward Adamthwaite, died 15th March 1901 in Kensington Infirmary aged 81 years and was described on his death certificate as 'Homeless', cause of death 'Cancer of the Gullet'.

It is interesting to note that the two who died in March both suffered from lung diseases and one can imagine poor undernourished families struggling to keep warm through the winter in inadequate housing, "The Good Old Days"!

The Kensington Workhouse was an all male establishment. Was the Paddington Workhouse for ladies only in those days? There is lots more to be found out from the Workhouse Records … here is some background information about Kensington and Paddington Workhouses: