Workhouse admission

[SarahAnn23]

Hi, I'm new to this forum, so this is my first post. I'm researching an ancestor who seems to have been admitted to the workhouse in 1899. He was discharged 2 days later. Could anyone shed some light on why this was such a short admission? I was under the impression someone would go there if they had fallen on hard times, were destitute or ill and unable to support themselves. Also there appear to be initials alongside the discharge date - maybe these are initials of the official who discharged the person? Or would 'OR' be an abbreviation for something? I've not come across anyone before who has spent time in a workhouse.
Hope someone can help. Thank you, Sarah

[stepives]

My memory is bit faded, but I think OR means Outside Relief, meaning that his situation isn't so desperate, as to stay there on a permanant basis.
Sort of short term 'fix'.

Other members my be more specific, or a better explantion.

[Jomot1]

This may help

https://www.workhouses.org.uk/life/entry.shtml

[Lesley Robertson]

Do you know which workhouse? If it was in Scotland, they were often treated as sources of medical treatment for the poor, although 1899 is a bit late for that.

Have you got his death certificate? The year and place might be informative - they might have moved him to another one.

PS Welcome to the British Genealogy Forum!

[SarahAnn23]

Thank you very much - it looks like there were some people who had frequent short admissions. In this case, he only seems to have had one single admission. This website looks really interesting - I'll take a proper look, thank you, Sarah

[SarahAnn23]

Thank you - workhouse was in London, not sure which one. I don't have the death certificate but I know he died about 2 years after his time in the workhouse. I reckon he fell on hard times, he and his wife don't appear on the same census then his wife shows up in 1901 with a different husband and his son is listed as stepson.
Looking forward to taking part in this forum - there are a lot of topics that are of interest to me. Thanks again, Sarah

[SarahAnn23]

Thank you! I looked into this and I think OR might stand for Outdoor Relief, meaning food, money or goods given as poor relief rather than being admitted to an institution. This explains the short admission time, so many thanks for your help on this one. Sarah