Whitefriars Monastery and Workhouse (Click to see this topic in full)
Interesting shot of Whitefriars during its renovation - look at all that stone! Note the rear of the building behind latterly used by the Salvation Army (just posted another pic of that in the Workhouse thread).

Coventry Union workhouse (Click to see this topic in full)
From what I can see, the Exhall Workhouse was part of the Foleshill Poor Law Union which was administered through the Foleshill Workhouse which from 1836 was situated off Foleshill Rd, almost exactly on the site of the current Foleshill Fire Station. Prior to 1836 the Foleshill Workhouse had been based in Brick Kiln Lane (now Broad Street). I don't know where the Exhall Workhouse was located. We tend to regard Foleshill as part of the city of Coventry but prior to 1923 it had its own council and was more allied to Longford, Exhall and the surrounding villages like Sowe (Walsgrave) and Wyken which have also been subsequently swallowed up into the city. Across the road from the old Foleshill Workhouse lies Old Church Road. Follow that road across the canal and you come to the parish church of St. Laurence where this lady's ancestor was laid to rest.

Coventry Union workhouse (Click to see this topic in full)
From the early 19th century there were two workhouses covering what is now Coventry: Coventry workhouse itself and Foleshill workhouse. Coventry workhouse was housed in the old Whitefriars Monastery. This still survives, next to Coventry University carpark, although parts of the workhouse (such as what became the Gulson Hospital) were demolished fairly recently. Nothing remains of Foleshill workhouse; it was demolished and an industrial estate built on the site. https://www.workhouses.org.uk/ is a brilliant website which provides a mass of detail on specific workhouses - simply type in the name of the place you are interested in to the search box. It contains a lot of pictures of Coventry workhouse. It also lists (something which is very useful) the ca.1812workhouse are a rich source of information; I know, because I spent a lot of time carrying out research on the admission and discharge registers for the 19th century. I have not used the 20th century admission and discharge registers, and there are some gaps in the holdings for the 19th century registers. It is best to check on the workhouses website listed above. If you are interested in a particular person who was an inmate at the workhouse in Coventry, I suggest that you contact Coventry Archives, or Coventry Family History Centre, or a private genealogist who works in the Coventry area. I am not sure whether Coventry (or Foleshill) had a chapel; they probably did. I hope this is of help. Rosemary Hall (If I can be of more help do not hesitate to get in touch.) P S Before individual parishes like Exhall had their own workhouses; by the 19th century Exhall would have come under Foleswhill - for more detail, see the workhouses website.

Coventry Union workhouse (Click to see this topic in full)
Hi Debs, welcome to the forum The city had several workhouses but so far I don't recall a photo of the Exhall one, though I generally don't notice stuff that far out of the city centre. The Exhall workhouse was connected in some way to the Foleshill Union and there were job adverts in the 1840s for a matron for it. I'm guessing that the Foleshill Union wasn't quite the same as the Coventry Union. By 1849 the salary had gone up to £20. Hopefully someone else can be more helpful.

Coventry Union workhouse (Click to see this topic in full)
Hello, I am interested in the Exhall workhouse and wonder if this is the one you are referring to? My 4 x GGrandmother died there in 1837. She was buried in St Laurence Church - her name was Elizabeth Betts (nee Bennett) and the family were Ribbon weavers.

Children's Homes (Click to see this topic in full)
The following information was barred from me for 100 years. Both my mother and uncle were in the control of guardians in 1921 after being taken into care by the court. My uncle was held at Plemont Villa before emigrating off to Canada at the age 11 years to work on a farm. Middlemore (Emigrating) Homes of Birmingham were responsible for moving children away from property and ill health around the world. My Mother was sent to Bristol age 6 years and was placed under the control of the Anglican Nuns, the place known as an Industrial Institution. My mother was taken out of the convent early after spending 10 years there. The children worked many long hours under very strict rules laid down by the Nuns. Some worked in the convent's industrial laundry others in the surrounding gardens (workhouse?). The produce was sold to the community, the clothes were also for the community. The way children were treated around the world we will never know.

Children's Homes (Click to see this topic in full)
During family research in the 1911 census I have found a relation, a boy aged 12, was at the Boys Scattered Home, at Plemont (?difficult to read the handwriting) Villa, Whitley otherwise known as the Home for Children under the Control of the Guardians, with Edith Birch in charge described as foster mother I think. I have not encountered this type of institution before, was it attached to a workhouse? or some form of corrective home for delinquents like an early form of borstal? Any information gratefully received.

Children's Homes (Click to see this topic in full)
The Heritage Centre have done what they can do for me. My Mother and her brother were taken into care in 1922. This is where my information gets shaky. I believe her brother was housed in Plemont Villa / House home for boys near the London Cemetery 1922 before going off to Canada. I have been lucky, I have learnt a little from my cousin on the lad's arrival in Canada. Can anyone fill in the gaps in the early stages of the children's movement? I have copies of the court papers and there is no mention where they went. Maybe St Faith's Shelter or other Girls / Boys Homes. I have learnt there was a Girls home at the top of Hill Street but I don't know how to open their doors. It took a long time to squeeze information out of the Authorities because of the disclosure of information. I have to learn how the lad went to Canada and my mother was moved at the age of 6 to Bristol run by the Nuns (Workhouse?) for 10 years. I would like to fill the early gaps in the children's life so I can write it up.

Coventry Trams (Click to see this topic in full)
Thinking down another avenue, Foleshill tram depot was right next to Foleshill Workhouse. In 1918 it was closed and by 1921 turned into 27 flats. There does not seem to be any pictures of the Workhouse. Any thoughts on if it is the building behind the ladies ?

Coventry Union workhouse (Click to see this topic in full)
That's the first full view of that side of the workhouse that I've seen. Top picture. A view of the workhouse from the William Henry Brook collection. The date was 1819 and remains of the city wall were still prominent.

Coventry Union workhouse (Click to see this topic in full)
You can see it again here to picture the location in this 1948 image from BFA - I've highlighted the roof of it - by Whitefriars - the Morris works visible behind. That's Paradise Street lower left -

Coventry Union workhouse (Click to see this topic in full)
Another recent surprise find via Facebook. I hadn't realised (despite it being clearly noticeable on BFA) that this large building that was formerly part of the Workhouse remained up until what I think was late 1967/'68. It was just to the south of the remaining section of Whitefriars facing Gulson Road by the London Road junction so finally became of victim of the Ring Road - although the accompanying Newspaper cutting where these originated from indicate it was about time - The clippings state: Brigadier Thomas Hutchison was in charge of the crumbling, old Salvation Army Hostel from May 1965 to February 1968. The crumbling former Workhouse where the Salvaltion Army provided as many as 150 beds by 1967. While the Corporation were still undecided as to where a new Hostel should be sited, staff at the Hostel had to patch up the structure from day to day. The entrance to the Hostel for Men was a depressing sight in the 1960s. The Army was under a 3-year lease and finding it more and more difficult to cope with the major building defects. All this was despite a 're-opening' in 1956 - which indicates to me the poor condition the buildings were in to decline again within 10-or so years -

Coventry Union workhouse (Click to see this topic in full)
In the 1921 and 1926 directories (thanks to Heathite) at number 11 a Mr Joseph H Harris is recorded. That doesn't mean there weren't other people living there. They don't mention a workhouse anywhere on the street but again, that doesn't mean they weren't. There are two Smiths listed - at 4 Ernest Smith and at 14 Owen William Smith a boot repairer. There are Coventry Union workhouses listed but just 66 and 68 Hill Street. So on balance, I think that it's very unlikely that there was a chapel at number 11, although it could have been accommodation for workhouse residents. If you don't mind, I'll move your posts to Well Street, Upper Well Street and Hill Cross in a few days, unless some more relevant information about Smiths or workhouses turns up. That topic has more about the area, including Hill Cross which started after number 11 Upper Well Street. There are maps starting at post 57 that you may find useful and a link to a post war aerial photo that shows number 11 from the rear (opposite Lamb Street). There were a lot of businesses in the area, that may have taken placements from the workhouse system?

Coventry Union workhouse (Click to see this topic in full)
Hi smithsearcher1, welcome to the forum A date and name might help us help you I can find a Reginald G Smith in the bottom flat at number 11 Upper Well Street in 1955. There are other people there, including a grocers. The buildings before the war were more numerous and there were several chapels nearby. I know that there was a chapel in the union workhouse at Whitefriars. Again, some specifics would narrow things down. This link about Coventry workhouses might help.

Coventry Union workhouse (Click to see this topic in full)
I've been researching my father's family history for a while, today I discovered he was baptised at 11 Upper well street. Can anyone tell me more about this, was there a Chapel in the union workhouse.