At a monthly meeting of the Churchwardens and Overseers, held 27th August, 1698, an accompt was given that Susan Stone, the widdow of Thomas, refused to ware the Town badge, (vizt.) the letters, (B: P:) upon which she was putt out of the weekly pay.
The present Workhouse, on Church Hill, was commenced in 1820, Mr. William Mackie, Architect, Charlotte street, Blackfriars’ road, London, furnishing the design, which was selected from forty others by the Directors and Guardians, who had advertised a premium for the best design; as it was then considered it combined a proper degree of elegance with economy, and was replete with more convenience than any other institution for the same purpose in the kingdom. Great alterations and additions have been made to the original building, according to the fancy or caprice of the boards of Guardians for the time being. Mr. John Cheesman was the builder. The ceremony of laying the foundation stone was not of the imposing character which is assumed on commencing similar public buildings in modern times. The stone was merely one that had been dug up while getting out the ground for the foundation of the house; and was of the rudest shape, about two feet in length, eighteen inches in width, and ten inches in depth. It was laid by the Vicar, the Rev. Dr. Carr, afterwards Bishop of Chichester, and subsequently of Worcester.
Brighton, at that time, had a population of 24,000, and there were about 4,000 inhabited houses. Fields surrounded the Workhouse grounds; that to the south, the detached grave-yard of the Old Church, being used for occasional festivities, and for the practice of the Royal Artillery. The first building erected near the House was a soap manufactory, by a Mr. Heard. The premises are now the residence and establishment of Dr. Foreman. On the failure of the soap works, which were to astonish the good people of Brighton, Mr. Airey converted the building into school premises, and for a few years had a good school there,—the Church hill Grammar School. The Rev. Dr. Butler succeeded him, and then, for a short time, the Rev. Mr. Pugh carried on the establishment.
Mr. Thorncroft was the first person who took up his abode in the new Workhouse, which had a tablet over the main entrance, thus inscribed:
Brighthelmston Poor-House,
Erected A.D., 1821.
Vicar, Rev. R. J. Carr, D.D.
Churchwardens: Edward Blaker / Robert Ackerson / Richard Bodle.
At the old Workhouse, or rather Poor-house as it was called, the average number of inmates was 150, and the only labour consisted in collecting and crushing oyster-shells in a large iron mortar. This work was done by the able-bodied out-door poor, in the winter months, at a fixed price per bushel. The material thus produced was sold for manuring land, and for constructing paths in parks, lawns, &c. The Governor at that time, was Mr. Hayward, he having succeeded Mr. Bailey, and the inmates were farmed to Mr. Rice, at a contract price for their board, of about 4s a-week per head. Previous to Mr. Bailey, Mr. Sicklemore was the Governor, he having succeeded Mr. William Pearce, who was appointed March 25th, 1779. Mr. Samuel Thorncroft, the present Assistant-Overseer, was Mr. Rice’s assistant, and helped Mr. Chassereau, the then Assistant-Overseer, in preparing the present Workhouse for the reception of the poor, who were very reluctant to leave the old house, to be transported out of the world, as they termed the removal to the new house on Church hill, which certainly then had as desolate an appearance as the “howling wilderness,” the name now given to the Industrial Schools at the Warren Farm, by the opponents of that juvenile establishment. The Assistant-Overseer, previous to Mr. Chassereau, was Mr. White, who succeeded Mr. Jonathan Grenville. At this period the principal officers in connexion with the poor of the parish, were an Assistant-Overseer, at a salary of £200, and a Vestry Clerk, at a salary of £100 a-year. Mr. Thomas Attree, of the present firm, Messrs. Attree, Clarke, and Howlett, solicitors, Ship street, was the Clerk, and used to make out the poor-rates, attend—usually by deputy—the meetings of the Directors and Guardians, record the meetings of the Board, and the Committees, and prepare reports.
The removal from the old to the new house took place on the 12th September, 1822, when 27 persons changed their residence. On the 20th of the same month, nine others followed; and on the 24th, sixty-four more were removed, making a total of ninety-five inmates. Mr. Baldey was the parish surgeon. The new governor—Hayward,—remained only a few days on the removal to the new house; as, without the least intimation to any one, he abruptly took himself off. His successor, Mr. Nuttall, remained only four or five weeks, when he was summarily dismissed by the Guardians, on the 5th of November, 1822. Mr. S. Thorncroft was then appointed Governor, a situation which he continued to fill with great honour to himself and satisfaction to the town, till April, 1834, although he did not leave the house till April, 1835. Mr. John Harper was Mr. Chassereau’s successor. Mr. Thorncroft was appointed Assistant-Overseer—a position which he still so ably holds—in October, 1834. Mr. Collington, at the close of 1834, succeeded Mr. Thorncroft as Governor; and he held the office till the middle of the summer of 1836, when Mr. Bartlett entered on the duties of Governor, he having been previously the superintendent of pauper-labour, at a salary of £160 a-year.
At the old house Mrs. Idle was a species of matron; but when the inmates went “up the hill,” Mrs. Harriet Dennett held that appointment, and continued it till 1827, when she was succeeded by Mrs. Alice Pickstock. Mrs. Pickstock,—the mother of Mrs. S. Thorncroft,—died in 1843. As a memento of respect, her tomb, erected by subscription in the Cemetery Ground of the Old Church, expresses the appreciation of her valuable services. On her death, Mrs. Bartlett, the wife of the Governor, was appointed Matron. Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett resigned in June, 1848, and were succeeded by Mr. and Mrs. Cuzens. About the middle of the year 1849, Cuzens absented himself from his duties, and they were in consequence both discharged in September. Mr. and Mrs. Hodges were appointed to the vacancies, and they held their respective offices till September of the following year. Mr. and Mrs. C. J. King succeeded them, and in October, 1854, on their resignation, Mr. and Mrs. Passmore entered upon their duties. On the 7th of June, 1859, Mr. Passmore absconded; the dismissal of himself and wife ensued in consequence, and on the 15th of July, Mr. and Mrs. Sattin were appointed to fill the vacancies.
The poor-rate collectors hitherto have been Mr. Edward Butler, Mr. Harry (Captain) Blaber, Mr. W. H. Smithers, and Mr. Frank Butler. The parish assessors have been Mr. Saunders, Mr. Robert Ackerson, Mr. Richard Bodle, Mr. Henry Styles Colbron, Mr. Richard Edwards, and Mr. George Maynard.
The original cost for building the Brighton Workhouse was £10,000, and the land was purchased for £1,400, and paid by a rate expressly raised for that service. In the year 1853, the then Board of Directors determined upon disposing of the present Workhouse and grounds, and the erection of a Workhouse and Industrial Schools, and they purchased ground on the Race Hill, as the site for the former, and the Warren Farm, beyond the Race Hill, for the latter. The Schools are completed, and will be ready for occupation when a sufficient supply of water is obtained from the notorious Warren Farm Well.