Luton Workhouse, Public welfare institution in Luton, England
The Luton Workhouse was built with separate wings for men and women, plus administrative rooms, a dining hall, kitchen, washhouse, schoolroom, and laundry. It provided shelter, basic meals, and medical care to residents under the supervision of a master and matron.
The building was founded in 1722 as a House of Maintenance for the Poor with just 41 residents. A much larger building replaced it in 1836 to accommodate up to 300 people.
Residents worked in straw hat production, the industry that drove Luton's economy for generations. This work shaped their daily routines and connected them to the town's manufacturing identity.
Visitors can see the layout and rooms where residents lived and worked during their time there. The building's design shows how daily activities were organized and separated by function.
Census records from 1881 documented 224 people living there, including George Brandon as the Master and Elizabeth Brandon in charge of the household. These details reveal who actually managed the institution and how many people depended on it.
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