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Death in the Work House.

ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Sheila

Sheila Report 2 Jul 2013 15:15

My gr.grandfather died in the Infirmary of Lichfield Workhouse in 1914 aged 83.
His death certificate stated the he died from Cerebral Haemorrhage and Senility.
On the 1911 census he was living with his son and was an Old Age Pensioner.
I am right to assume that he died in the Infirmary because of his condition possibly a Stroke and age?

Sheila

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it Report 2 Jul 2013 15:20

The infirmary was the hospital for those who couldn't afford private treatment. It didn't mean that they were in the workhouse too .although. Inmates who needed medical care would be transferred to the infirmary from the workhouse .

Dd the cert give his usual home address ?

Edit sorry was on I pad and it somehow missed what I posted . Was saying who was the informant if not family then can you trace who they were.

You have answered "was his son and there was a home address"

Sounds as if he was in the Infirmary from home then

Dont think you will know unless you can get access to the Workhouse records for that time. These are usually at the Main Records Office for the area

Sheila

Sheila Report 2 Jul 2013 15:27

There was a home address on the certificate and his death was notified by one of his sons.

DazedConfused

DazedConfused Report 2 Jul 2013 16:24

I would imagine from reading your original post that in 1911 he was probably just showing early signs of probably dementia (also called senile decay, as was old age at times).
So I would think that he went to the Infirmary sometime after 1911 as they were probably more able to cope with him.
He may have been there since 1911 or only a short while.

Without seeing the admissions you will not know.

Andrew

Andrew Report 2 Jul 2013 16:25

If there is a home address on the cert, he almost certainly lived there and was only at the Workhouse because he was ill and needed medical treatment. It was the only free medical service available.

Lichfield workhouse became St Michaels Hospital and then Samuel Johnson Community Hospital. Parts of the old workhouse still exist,

Andy

Sheila

Sheila Report 3 Jul 2013 09:47

The program about Work Houses on TV last night answered my question.

Thank you for all your replies

Sheila