Other Institutions GAZ Whitehaven

Other Institutions:

Hospitals:  The first medical service was the Dispensary at 107 Queen Street given by James Hogarth in 1783. It was replaced by the Infirmary at Howgill Street-opened IN 1830, extended in 1857, 1860, 1895 and 1897. It moved to Whitehaven Castle in 1924 (the one time Manor House of the Lowthers) then to new site at Hensingham (see HENSINGHAM). There was also a Fever Hospital, at The Ginns for a time after 1819 (when typhus fever was prevalent) and Bransty Smallpox Hospital, rebuilt 1895 for infectious diseases, open until mid 20th century.

Workhouses:  First opened in 1743 at Scotch Street (funded by private subscriptions and public assessments until 1785 from whence it was funded by a poor rate, the work of the inmates and rents of £2 per year from each of 20 other parishes, plus 2/- per week for each pauper housed from these external parishes- at any one time housing around about 30 such external paupers, about 50% of its capacity ), enlarged 1795 when it became females, and a second workhouse was built in Preston Quarter for men. Latterly before 1855 closure Scotch Street seems to have become adult, and Preston Quarter children. In 1855 the Preston Quarter house was enlarged and became the sole house for the town and area. It closed progressively from the mid 1930s, becoming Meadow View Geriatric Home, until closure in 1966 when those services moved to the new West Cumberland Hospital.

Libraries: A Subscription Library opened in 1797 at Catherine Street-, moving to Lowther Street/Catherine Street in 1808. It was converted to a Museum in 1921, closed 1957 and demolished in 1961. The Museum reopened in the Market Hall in 1974 and relocated to the Civic Hall in 1986 then ‘The Beacon’ in 1996. The earlier museum had been at the Whitehaven Natural History Society, formed at Queen Street in 1867, moved to Old Assembly rooms in Howgill Street in 1874, also in the Mechanics Institute at Duke Street around 1847. The Mechanics & Apprentices Library & Institution started in 1825 closed after a few years, reopened 1844 at 33 Church Street then 139 Queen Street. This became the Free Public Library in 1888 and moved to Catherine Street in 1906. A new Library opened in 1970. From 1933 to 1963 there was a library at Kells Welfare, a new library opened 1965.

Alms Houses: 31 Aged Miners homes were opened progressively at Arrowthwaite, Kells from 1926 on land gifted by the Earl of Lonsdale. The last house was sold into private  hands in 1981 although still recognisable as an Alms Houses Scheme.

Other: There have been and are many charitable institutions in the town, also there have been a series of public baths at various locations since 1814. There have been many theatres and cinemas, and two major newspapers based in the town (the Cumberland Pacquet, established 1774, and later the Whitehaven News) plus other short lived ones. Oil lighting was introduced in 1781, replaced by Town Gas in 1831, and then by Electricity in 1891- both being generated at the town’s own works.