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Workhouse in Assington Part II


This gives an indication of the furnitue and fittings that could be found in a village Poor House.

An inventory of household furniture, working implements & other effects, being in the Poor's House of Assington….taken this 3rd day of May, 1808


Governors Room
One rush bottom'd arm'd chair, one low chair 1one large table, one smaller chair , one dresser, three shelves, a clock, one large linen horse, a coal range, fire shovel, poker & tongs, brass scales, one beam & a pair tin scales, 3 lb 15 oz brass weights, a warming pan, box iron and 2 heaters, 3 old iron candle sticks and a copper tea kettle

Ward Room
18 spinning wheels & two reeIs, 3 tables, a low stool, 5 rush bottom`d chairs, 2 small childrens chairs, 1 long stool, a coal range, coal sifter, poker and tongs & two window shutters, 2 stools

Cellars
Six beer casks, three alestools, one wood funnel, one filter, two copper boilers, one pail, copper scales & beam, 49 Ibs bloom weights, 3 pork tubs, meat keeler, kneading trough & bleeding pan, 16 wood trenchers , one flour kid, one hanging shelf & 4- others, two old sickles.

Backhouse
Brewing copper & irons, one mash tub, 4 smaller tubs, jet and mash staff, a wilch & strainer, a washing copper & lid, 4 washing keelers & 1 dish keeler, a lye tub & lye letch, 1 iron peel, 1 old frying pan, a pair bellows, 1 alestool, two wash stools, '3 pails, hogs tool, a mousetrap & wood bowl

Two chambers
4 beds ,4 bedsteads, 4 coverlids, 4 blankets, 4 sheets, one small chest, 1 linen basket, 2 chests, six new rush-bottom'd chairs & one arm'd chair and an old one

Two Garrets
7 bedsteads, 6 beds, 6 coverlids, 6 blankets & 8 sheets, 1 old box & a stool, 1 hoe, 4 weeding chisels & two weeding hooks

Governors Chamber
3 chests, one bedstead , 1 straw rnattrass, 2 shelves.

Yard
One beetle, six iron wedges, a hogstrough,a mattock & a wheel barrow.


owner... John Dyer
Occupier ....William Ward
Description.... Workhouse and garden
Rent charge....£0-2-7 payable to Vicar


SUMMARY:-
The inventory of Assington workhouse in 1808 shows that the 23 paupers were provided with 18 spinning wheels, two reels and a loom to work on.

Note:- The inventory does not show enough beds for 23 inmates/paupers.
However,
smallish parish workhouses had on average one bed to four inmates. In some cases they would sleep head to toe, in other cases in shifts.