52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 18 Institutions

On By Sarah Susek WortIn 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025

The theme this time is institutions. So I thought I would talk about my 3 x great grandmother Mary Ann Bowen.

Mary Ann was born in Worcestershire about 1828. On 27 October 1850 Mary Ann married John Bick or Beck, although Beck seems to be the surname shown for the family later on. Both John and Mary Ann were both listed on their marriage record as living on Group Lane in Worcester, their occupations are listed as horse hair weavers.

Mary Ann and John had three children, Alice born 1854, Hannah born 1857 and William John born 1858.

William Johns baptism in 1861 has the family listed as living in Powick Lane in Worcester. Sometime between 1861 and 1865 John Beck died.

On the 26 November Mary Ann married Richard Rooke at St Stephens Church in the parish of Claines. Richard and Mary Ann had two sons, Charles born 1865 and Richard born 1871.  They were living in Merry Vale in the parish of All Hallows, Worcester.

Sometime between the 1871 and 1881 censuses, the family moved from Worcester to Sheffield.

According to the 1881 census, Mary Ann was living at Sheldon Street in Sheffield and she was working as a charwoman.

Upon locating Mary Ann’s death certificate I was surprised to learn she died in the workhouse. A search of the index of inmates of Ecclesall Bierlow Union Workhouse showed that Mary Ann, in her late 70’s, was admitted on 4 August 1907.

She died in the workhouse 20 January 1909 from senile decay.  Richard was the informant on Mary’s death certificate and is listed as still living at Sheldon Street.  Maybe Richard was unable to care for Mary and presumably she was admitted to the infirmary.

So What was a Workhouse?

A workhouse was a place where poor people who were unable to look after themselves, whether they are out or work, unable to work, or sick, could go to live and work. An early form of social care.

Ecclesall Bierlow Union Workhouse

Google Street View of Entrance off Union Road

Ecclesall Bierlow Union was formed in 1837 and was built between 1841 and 1844 and was expanded over the years.  It incorporated the main building, a chapel, a school for boys and a school for girls, an asylum, a hospital, a smallpox hospital, tramp wards and a maternity block.  Designed by William Flockton, the workhouse was built in an E-shaped style. It is located on what is now Union Road in Sheffield.

It was renamed Nether Edge hospital sometime after 1929.

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