Workhouse Oldham for Oldham Union

Oldham, like many Unions in the north of England, was resistant to operation of the 1834 Act and which it argued was inappropriate for the needs of a manufacturing area. In 1837, an attempt was made to elect a Board of Guardians, but a bill-posting campaign by the Radicals dissuaded the inhabitants from voting. Eventually, six Guardians were chosen at a Vestry Meeting, but only two of them ever attended a Poor Law Meeting and by the end of the year they had all resigned. The Oldham Board of Guardians finally met on 22nd September 1847. Their first meeting took place in Oldham Town Hall, and first on the agenda was the subject of workhouses. They considered all of the existing workhouses within their jurisdiction (this is the only surviving evidence of the workhouse at Tonge), and decided that none of them were suitable for continued use. Those at Crompton and Tonge were found to be particularly bad and until new accommodation could be provided, it was decided to retain those at Oldham, Middleton, Royton and Chadderton.

Construction of a new workhouse began in 1848 on at site at Northmoor at the west side of the Rochdale Road. Designed by Travis and Magnall, architects of Manchester, it was completed in 1851 at a cost of ,13,305. In 1855, special accommodation for lunatics was built, and in 1877 sick wards were added. A new male imbecile ward was built in 1881 and one for females in 1886. 1886 also saw the construction of a school, chapel, dormitories, wash-houses and a dining hall. Later additions included workshops, kitchens and a boiler house. The main building at the centre of the site had a male and female imbecile wards to its north and south, and male and female infirmary blocks at the south-east and north-east. A fever ward was located at the north-east of the site. A new hospital with a central administration block flanked by male and female ward pavilions was later added at the north fronting onto Sheepfoot Lane.

Reference    Manchester Guardian 29 April 1848 Page 11 (Contracts)
Reference    Manchester Guardian 13 May 1848 Page 11 (Contracts)