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Ripon Union Workhouse, William Perkin, and Elisha Backhouse green plaque

Ripon, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Ripon Union Workhouse These impressive buildings were home to the poor and destitute of the city and surrounding parishes before the Welfare State. Replacing an earlier poor house, construction began in 1854 to the designs of Perkin and Backhouse of Leeds. Male and female paupers were separately hou

sed within the main block. From the 1870s vagrants were accommodated in the gatehouse wings.

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