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Leeds Workhouse and Burmantofts Cemetery
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Leeds Workhouse and Burmantofts Cemetery
A very early photograph of Leeds Workhouse from Burmantofts Cemetery, Beckett Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire. The workhouse, designed by William Perkin and Elisha Backhouse, was erected by the Leeds Board of Guardians in 1858-1861. It later became part of St James Hospital but is now home to the Thackray Medical Museum
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Media ID 4419043
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10418734
1850s 1858 Backhouse Beckett Burial Cemetery Elisha Guardians Head Stone Head Stones Health Inscriptions Iron Work L Aw Leeds Masonry Monuments Perkin Poor Poverty Railings Workhouse Workhouses 1860s Burmantofts Will I Am
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the stark contrast between life and death in Victorian Leeds, as depicted by the imposing Leeds Workhouse and the adjacent Burmantofts Cemetery. The Workhouse, designed by architects William Perkin and Elisha Backhouse and erected by the Leeds Board of Guardians between 1858 and 1861, was a place of last resort for the destitute and the poor. Its imposing ironwork and masonry facade served as a reminder of the harsh realities of poverty and the law that forced able-bodied paupers into hard labor. The photograph was taken from the grounds of Burmantofts Cemetery, where the workhouse once stood on Beckett Street. The cemetery, established in the 1850s, was the final resting place for many of Leeds' poor and needy. The headstones and monuments bear inscriptions that tell tales of hardship, illness, and early death. The Workhouse later became part of St James Hospital but is now home to the Thackray Medical Museum, which explores the history of healthcare and medical innovations. The photograph offers a glimpse into a bygone era, a time when the divide between the haves and have-nots was more pronounced, and the concept of social welfare was in its infancy. The railings and buildings in the background of the photograph add to the historical significance of the scene, while the headstones and inscriptions in the foreground serve as a poignant reminder of the human cost of poverty and the importance of care and compassion in times of need.
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