Chesterfield and District Family History Society joint project with Chesterfield Christ Church and CSHADLHS.

2020 - 2021 Project

Remembering the people of Chesterfield Union Workhouse.  1838 to its closure in the 1950s

Introduction

Chesterfield & District Family History Society have been invited to take part in a wonderful new project by Christ Church on Stone Gravels, (C St Helens & District LHS) Chesterfield on Sheffield Road . Their project name is Christ Church Paupers Research Project 

As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, Chesterfield was made the centre of a Union covering 34 parishes and a population of 34,246 in 1838.  

Once the Board of Guardians and other officials had been elected, it was necessary to build a large, new workhouse. 

At a final cost of over £10,000 and to be the home for more that 300 Inmates

Workhouse Graves

Many of the people who died in the Chesterfield Union Workhouse are buried, because of the close proximity in the graveyards at the Holy Trinity and at  Christ Church. Initially Chesterfield Union Workhouse Inmates were buried at Holy Trinity Church and then Christ Church was eventually built as a Chapel of Ease since space was at a premium at Holy Trinity Church. Spital Cemetery also holds a large number of graves. 

Where does CADFHS come in?

The Christ Church project has many objectives but one of their main aims is to uncover the personal stories of those interred in The Holy Trinity Church and Christ Church yards.

Altogether there are just over 1200 Workhouse graves at Christ Church and 450 at The Holy Trinity. Others were buried elsewhere.

None of the paupers graves are marked and it is thought that nothing of their lives has been researched before to any extent?  6,000 bodies lie in the Christ Church Graveyard of which the names, dates and graves are known and 200 sets of ashes. Within the 6,000 are 1600 of which their names and burial dates are known but not where they are buried.