Brighthelmstone Workhouse

From a plate published in 'Illustrated History of Brighton' by John Ackerson Erridge, published 1862

Brighthelmstone Workhouse, Church Hill, Brighton, Sussex (above the graveyard of St. Nicholas' Church)
designed by William Mackie of London, built 1820-1822 by John Cheesman.

The inscription over the main door reads -
Brighthelmston Poor-house,
Erected AD., 1821
Vicar, Rev. R. J. Carr, D.D.
Churchwardens Edward Blaker, Robert Ackersall, Richard Brodie

Brighton (Brighthelmstone), Sussex

Up to 1834

A parish workhouse existed at Bartholemews in Brighton (or Brighthelmstone as it was then known) from around 1727. This was gradually enlarged, but by the 1820s was proving inadequate. In 1822, a new workhouse was erected by local builder John Cheesman adjacent to St Nicholas's churchyard at the north of Church Street. In 1810, Brighton parish became incorporated under a local Act, giving it power to set up its own independent poor administration and operate a residential workhouse.

Brighthelmston Workhouse

We reproduce here a description of the reasons for an enlarged Workhouse in the Brighton area, together with the information which was given about the structure, its environment and the way the place operated.

As the population increased, the old building was found insufficient to answer the purposes for which it was intended, and accordingly, in 1821, the present workhouse was commenced: it stands on Church Hill, near the parish church of St. Nicholas, on a spot particularly adapted for such an establishment from the airiness of its situation. The house is 191 feet in length, and is divided into four distinct parts in order to class its inmates in the most regular manner.
The central division consists of an entrance-hall, working room, and committee-room for examination of applicants, the overseers and clerk's office, and the governor's room, and also proper sleeping apartments. Adjoining to these rooms to the North, are apartments for females, including sick persons, lying-in women, children in the nursery, and all females not capable of executing laborious work.
In the next division of the house, which forms the North wing, are wards for males not capable of doing hard work. These wards are fifty feet in length and twenty-five in depth, and consist of sleeping-rooms, eating-rooms, proper places for the sick, and a school for boys.
The Southern division of the house, adjoining the centre, comprises apartments for males who are able to work: its upper storey is divided into sleeping-rooms, and the lower storeys consist of workrooms, a school-room and an eating-room.
Each of these divisions opens into a separate yard. That belonging to the South wing contains in it a mill for grinding corn, a manufactory of very excellent whiting, and workshops for dressing flax, carding wool, &c. The flour consumed in the house is ground by the paupers. They also manufacture and make up their own clothing, and prepare for sale, whiting, ropes, cords, door-mats, rugs, sacking of every description, and other articles.
The South wing, which forms the next division, is of the same dimensions as that on the North, and is separated into sleeping-rooms, an eating-room, and a work-room.
Behind the central division, already mentioned, is a lofty kitchen, a wash-house, brew-house, bake-house, and a very spacious laundry, in the fitting up and furnishing of which every regard has been paid to the cleanliness, convenience, and comfort of the inmates. There is a garden of about nine acres attached to the Workhouse. At a short distance from the house, an Infirmary has been erected for the reception of the sick paupers.

Workhouse Schools

Under the 1834 Act, Poor Law Unions were required to provide at least three hours a day of schooling for workhouse children, and to appoint a schoolmaster and/or schoolmistress. The children were taught "reading, writing, arithmetic, and the principles of the Christian Religion, and such other instruction as may fit them for service, and train them to habits of usefulness, industry and virtue".

After 1834

Brighton's local Act status made it largely immune from the provisions of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act and its operation as a local Act parish continued until 1930. By the late 1840s, the existing workhouse proved inadequate for the increasing demands placed upon it by the growing population in the town. It was therefore decided to build a new workhouse and in 1853 a seven-acre site was acquired on Race Hill, to the west of the race course.

In relation to Charles Allcorn's residence in this workhouse, we note that he departed for Australia in 1854. This date suggests that he would have witnessed some of the preparations for the construction of the new workhouse outlined below.

The new building was designed by the London firm of JC & G Lansdown of Charing Cross, in conjunction with local man George Maynard. The site location and layout is shown on the OS map of 1897:

The foundation stone for new building was laid on 13th May 1865 by the then Chairman of the local Guardians of the Poor, Lieut. Col. Robert Moorsom. It was open for the reception of inmates in 1867.

The impressive main block at the north of the site, was T-shaped in plan. Its frontage was four storeys with a central clock tower. The building was divided into separate sections for male and female inmates by means of iron gates in the corridors. The building employed a system of artificial ventilation.

The projecting wing at the centre of the main block included a large chapel.

In 1914, the workhouse became known as Brighton Poor Law Institution. Between 1915 and 1920 it was taken over by the War Office and operated as the Kitchener Indian Hospital accommodating sick and wounded Indian soldiers. In 1921, it reverted to use as a workhouse until 1930 when it became Brighton Municipal Hospital. In 1948, it became part of the National Health Service and renamed Brighton General Hospital.

Return to Charles Allcorn Story