It is Wednesday, the 6th of April, and the day for our first Guardians’ meeting. It was scheduled for 11 a.m. but by 10.30 they had begun to arrive in their carriages. Some of the older boys had been assigned to care for the horses and they were very pleased with the change in their activities.

Our workhouse is really a very attractive building, and I am always pleased when I see it - thinking of it now as our home. It was built in 1847 in the Italian style of native stone and can accommodate 145 inmates, although we have only about 100 at the moment, counting our usual casuals in that number. It was built in the William and Mary style with handsome Dutch gables and mullioned windows. We are out the northern outskirts of Calne, with only the graveyard and the nursery beyond us.

The Calne Union comprises the parishes of Bremhill, Calne and Calne Without (which includes Blackland, Bowood and Calstone Wellington), Cherhill, Compton Bassett, Heddington, Hilmarton (including Highway) and Yatesbury, a total area of 29,324 acres, and with a population of 8620 from last year’s statistics.

The guardians are: Edward Robert Henly, Chairman; Henry William Sandall, Surgeon; Reverend John Duncan, Vicar; Simon Porter, Relieving and vaccinating officer; H.S. Heath, Clerk to the Board; John Haines, Treasurer; William Francis Eattell; Wm Fran Eattell, Collector to the Guardians; Donald Campbell; Edward Shackfield;Cornelius Clark, Registrar of Births and Deaths; E.S. Newton-Clare; and Fredrick Charles Henley.

As they all sat around the board table, I looked at the agenda.

The order of business was:
1.         Minutes of last meeting
2.         Business arising there from
3.         Continuance of relief, and the applications of relief made since the last meeting.
4.         New applications for relief
5.         Reports upon the state of the workhouse, and all books and accounts
6.         The treasurer's account
7.         Any other business

I won’t detail all the meeting, as most of it was very boring. We were welcomed, as the new Master and Matron, and introductions were made all around.
The minutes were read and approved, and the few questions arising from them were dealt with in a very efficient manner.

We were then told by the Relieving Officer, of those who had made application to join, and it was agreed to accept them. There were only three.

We didn’t have anything to report about problems in the fabric of the workhouse, but no doubt by the next meeting, we will have a list to provide.

Then as it was the first meeting after April 1st, the various posts had to be elected, or in most cases re-elected for the next year.

The treasurer, Mr. Haines, announced that our account was in the black, and that he was very pleased with the way the previous incumbents had kept to the budget provided. The Receiving officers books were examined and it was found that he had paid out various amounts to Paupers.

It was resolved that be Mr. William Eattell, Esq. be appointed Auditor of the said Union at a salary of twenty five pounds per year.

That Mr. H.S. Heath Esq be appointed Clerk to the Board of Guardians at a salary of seventy five pounds per year.

The following annual bills were laid before the Board - the establishment charges to be debited therewith -

Mr. Caleb Evans, for Stationery
9-19-9

Mr. Thos Fairbrother, 3 copper furnaces & ironmongery
16-2-6

Messrs Tomkins & Harris for Bedding & Clothing
22-18-9

Mr. Wm Caudwell, 18 brooms
13-6

Mr. Wm Ballard, Ironmongery
3-9-3

Mr. Gregory, for earthenware
2-18-0

Mr. J Perken for Shoes
12-13-0

Mr. Edward Brinkwater for Corn
7-9-7

Mr. John Parfitt for Coals
19-17-5


Mr. William Drew for 4 coffins at 12/- each
2-8-0

Rev. Duncan for Funeral Charges - Silas Angell 
Hannah Coe, John Taylor, Eliza Wisten
1-8-0


Then a listing of the food items for the quarter.

Mr. Henry Simmonds for Groceries
15-7-1½

Mr. W Russ for Meat
10-2-2½

Mr. W Newton for Bacon
15-10-4½

do for Soup
12-6

Mrs. M. Tarrent for Groceries
4-16-7


Mr. H. Shepperd for Beer
4-1-0

That the following Allowance of Provisions be granted the Porter and his wife and the Master and his wife.

Per week —

Bread — 4 lbs
Meat — 8 lbs
Cheese — 1½ lbs
Sugar — 1 lb
Butter — 1 lb
Tea — ¼lb
Soup — when-required
Beer —  9 gallons per month

The main business of the meeting over, it came to Any Other Business, and John stood and said that he wished the Guardians to know that we were intending to make small changes within the workhouse, based on our observations and that he would enumerate them now.

1. Porridge now to be made with half milk
2. Porridge to be made twice a day so always fresh
3. Each inmate to have four blankets at night
4. Extra helpers for school teachers and infirmary from within the ranks of the paupers.

The new chairman, Edward Henley, looked quite put out by this.

“You are starting out with changes when you have not been here long enough to know how well things are working already,” he said.

“We are doing it for a period of a month, and then will assess as to whether the changes are for the best or not,” replied John.

“I seriously wonder if you can keep to the budget if you are rashly increasing your food expense by extra milk, and also presumably, you will need to buy more blankets,” said John Haines, the treasurer.

“No, I think we have adequate blankets, as we are under subscribed at the moment. We may need more in the future, but we can worry about that then,” said John.

“As far as the milk costs go, no doubt it will increase the meal budget slightly, but it will also increase the nutritional content of the meals, and add to both the pleasure of the diner, and the satiety value of the meal,” I put in.

“Well, we shall expect regular progress reports from you, and also a strict accounting of the state of your budget, and if it appears that you are going over the set allotment, you will have to return to the old practices. They worked perfectly fine for the previous occupants of your posts,” said the chairman, still in a strop about the whole thing.

So shortly after that, the meeting was adjourned and coffee and cakes were served and then, none too soon for me, the gentlemen left us to get on with our jobs.