West Fordington, Dorset, England

The Dorchester Union Workhouse is actually located in the Parish of Christchurch in West Fordington on the North side of Union Road as it runs eastwards out of Dorchester past the Great Western Railway Station up to Damer's Barn. It was erected in 1836 of rough stone and brick and can hold 233 inmates although there were only 109 including staff in 1891. An infirmary was added in 1884 at a cost of £500. The medical officer appointed was the surgeon George Aldridge GEORGE. After marriage to Julia Smith Bowen at St Pancras on 7th Jun 1879 George and Julia settled to live in Dorchester where George was a practicing GP and they proceeded to raise a family in High West Street until Julia died there aged 26 during the 1st quarter 1885.

The Union serviced a population in 1895 of 18,362 people resident in the parishes of Athelhampton, Bradford Peverell, Broadmayne, Burleston, Charminster, Chilfrome, Compton Abbas, Compton Vallence, Dewlish, Dorchester, East and West Fordington, Frampton, Frome Vaunchurch, Kingston Russell, Little Bredy, Long Bredy, Maiden Newton, Piddlehinton, Puddletown, Stinsford, Stratton, Tincleton, Toller Fratrum, Toller Porcorum, Tolpuddle, Warmwell, Watercombe, West Knighton, West Stafford, Whitcombe, Winterborne Abbas, Winterborne Came, Winterborne Herringstone, Winterborne Monkton, Winterborne St. Martin, Winterborne Steepleton, Woodsford & Wynford Eagle.