almshouses

Labourers' Cottages.

Bit of a seaside smell to this one.

Apologies, we had an issue with the sync on the description and labels this morning. With thanks to Sharon Corbet and Niall McAuley for establishing the catalogue references in the meantime, we've since updated the description....

This was probably one of many labourers' cottages built under some of the turn of the century acts. I couldn't say where these are. Because the country is littered with them. The 1881/1882 acts provided for the building of a lot of these. Mainly to address a lot of the probems we've discussed in the recent "evictions" series. A series of acts were passed between the 1880s and the 1930s, specifically with the intent of improving living conditions for agricultural labourers - local authorities were therefore involved in locating and compulsorily purchasing sites, building cottages and housing people. Tens of thousands of simple labourers cottages of this type were built all over the country. About the only thing that looks different for these ones is the second/dormer story - most were very simple one-storey buildings to pretty much the same plan. And the (newly en-vogue) water butt. If someone recognised the plan/form of this house we might be able to narrow down a county (as many local authorities and poor law unions built from their own plans). But otherwise it might be needle in a countryside of haystacks... (See Land & Labour Association#Cottage ownership and Land Acts#Labourers Act 1906 - both Wikipedia).

guliolopez We have a variation on a theme in the Claddagh here in Galway. These are known locally as "exservicemens houses" built under the "Irish Land (Provision for Sailors and Soldiers) Act 1919"

I love the fact that the exact date of this is known.
It was a Tuesday.

Do these expressions reflect what life was like? this is the most compelling photograph I've ever seen. I'm listening to Golden Bird by Levon Helm while I'm looking at this and the music is perfect for this image.

They are all purty scary looking.

Hi, Thanks for your comment - I agree that this group don't look the happiest bunch. But John Thomas, the famous photographer from Ceredigion traveled throughout Wales and took a great deal of photos of ordinary people either at home or by their workplace. If you are interested in seeing more examples of his work and learning more about John Thomas, please see the National Library of Wales' website: www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=johnthomas

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called FrigateRN's Pictures of Interest., and we'd love to have this added to the group! I suspect that these poor souls would not have had much to smile about if they were living in an alms house.

Did he take any of the nearby almshouses at Llanfwrog? My gg grandmother was there, probably from 1871 when her husband died, until 1888.