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Many thanks Bogginspro - I was trying hard to stick more to the time period Dawn is working in so as not to confuse her especially as she lives in Canada so our Poor Law system is a mystery. Hence me sticking to the Ecclesall Union and Brightside (Fir Vale) Union. When the Workhouse was built at Fir Vale it was well away from the sights, sounds and smells of the town!

Sheffield Poor Law Union was officially declared on 30th June 1837. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, 11 in number, representing its 3 constituent townships as listed below (figures in brackets indicate numbers of Guardians if more than one): West Riding: Attercliffe-cum-Darnall (2), Brightside Bierlow, Sheffield (8). The population falling within the Union at the 1831 census had been 71,720 — Attercliffe-cum-Darnall (3,741), Brightside Bierlow (8,968), and Sheffield (59,011). The average annual poor-rate expenditure for the period 1834-6 had been £13,599 or 3s.10d. per head of the population. The new Sheffield Union decided to continue using the Kelham Street workhouse and also retained the Brightside workhouse which was used for the accommodation of children. The Kelham Street workhouse was enlarged in 1843 at a cost of £6,000. However, the building increasingly suffered from overcrowding, and also had no provision for caring for the sick. In 1855, the Sheffield Board of Guardians were visited by the Poor Law Inspector for the district, Mr Farnham, who strongly encouraged them to build a new workhouse. The following year, the Board set about buying land for a new building. However, the local ratepayers were strongly opposed to the scheme and in 1856 and 1857 voted out the old members of the Board. In the end, £6,000 was spent on alterations at Kelham Street. In 1874, the Board proposed buying additional land at Kelham Street to expand the workhouse site. However, the Local Government Board vetoed this and instead a green-field site at Fir Vale was found on which to erect a new workhouse.

Dawn - There were two Union Workhouses in Sheffield and depending where you lived, this decided which one you came under whether for 'in' or 'out relief'. Some areas came under Ecclesall Bierlow and some under Brightside. Fir Vale Workhouse, or Sheffield Union Workhouse came under Brightside but didn't open until 1881 officially. Both Workhouses took in children too but by 1894 Fir Vale had the Children's Homes built to separate children from the Workhouse inmates. Normally children would stay with the mother until 3 yrs of age before moving into the homes. It may be that Mary came out of the first workhouse to work somewhere but when she needed help again came under the Fir Vale Workhouse/Brightside area. This research guide may help. - https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/content/dam/sheffield/docs/libraries-and-archives/archives-and-local-studies/research/Workhouses Study Guide v1-3.pdf

Hello, 30mmavenger, I have been following this with interest, I wonder could she have gone to Brightside because of the child, a couple of links here that may be of interest, one seems to say that Brightside was used for children after 1837 and there are references to Union Workhouse Schools, Rock Street, Brightside Bierlow - ie. 1881 Kelly's Directory. http://www.workhouses.org.uk/EcclesallBierlow/ http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Sheffield/