Christmas Day in the Forest Gate Workhouse 1896

Check out this fascinating post at E7 Now & Then which is a history site for Forest Gate (E7 is the local post code), Newham in East London where I have lived for the past 24 years.

It has reprinted articles from a local paper on life in the Forest Gate workhouse for children (or "industrial school") during Christmas 1896.

The report does appears to me to be more Disney's "Mary Poppins" rather than Dickens "Oliver Twist".  I cannot believe that 500 children, aged from 4-14 were at all "happy" to be split from their parents? No doubt better than staving or freezing to death in the slums but not as suggested by the reporter the result of some lifestyle choice by feckless parents.

A few years previous 26 children had burnt to death at the Workhouse during a fire amidst allegations that they had been locked in their dormitories and unable to escape. 

Right wing Tories are currently hinting that there needs to be even further savage cuts in welfare spending. It is bad enough already but if this happens many parents will not be able to feed and cloth their kids.  I think that it is a fair question to ask if we will see the rise again of such institutions?

I posted on the Workhouse and its subsequent history as a maternity hospital here in 2011.

London Marathon 2012 Wk 5: Forest Gate Industrial School

I felt stronger this week. Running every day (no rest day in programme?). 45 Minute Fartlek on Wednesday but main run was for 40 minutes on Sunday. I ran along back streets to Forest Lane Park, E7. Which is a hidden Newham gem.

It use to be the site of Wood Grange Manor. The home of the Quaker Banker, Samuel Gurney (see West Ham Park). Who gave the land to the local workhouse who built on site the Forest Gate Industrial School (see above). Over 600 young boys from Whitechapel, Poplar and Hackney "Poor Law" unions lived here. A "Oliver Twist" style institution where in 1890 - 26 boys were killed in a fire. Many of them died locked in barrack like dormitories. Shocking.

The school later became Forest Gate Maternity Hospital. In 1940 during the Second World War it was bombed and badly damaged. Nowadays only the facade remains and the main building is divided into private flats. The nature park to the rear is well worth a visit.

I next ran towards the new Newham shopping centre at Westfield’s, past the excellent pub The "Railway Tavern". There is a complicated path which eventually takes you to the front of the shopping centre and bus station. I then ran back over the "bridge" and back home past the Cart and Horses pub (the first ever venue for heavy metal band Iron Maiden) thorough Maryland and then a straight run along Forest Lane towards home.

I am running the London marathon next year using the official advanced training programme and will be raising funds for Homeless Youth charity "Alone in London". Click here to sponsor me.