Mardler April 18 Final

Local History
Brockdish and Thorpe Abbotts in the Workhouse
© Elaine Murphy
In 1844 there was a riot in the Depwade Union Workhouse, when
paupers tried to set fire to the buildings. Many ended up serving
time in Norwich gaol. We are all familiar with the old workhouse
brick buildings, today converted to flats next door to Cherry Lane
Garden Centre on the A140 at Pulham. The detested workhouse,
built only a few years earlier in 1836, to serve many local parishes,
was where the destitute unemployed were sent when work ran out
in a very hard winter. The winters of 1838, 1839 and 1840 were very
severe. Death rates were high from infectious diseases and snow
remained on the ground for months. It was the Victorian memories
of these hard snow-bound winters that led to snow all over our
Christmas cards. It wasn’t as picturesque if you had to work outside.
There were increasing admissions of agricultural labourers to the
workhouse who simply could not get sufficient work. People had
ended up in the workhouse because of the hated ‘ticket’ or
‘roundsman’ system that worn them down and still failed to give
them work. In desperation they rioted in protest.
Depwade Union Workhouse A140 Pulham Market
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