.....James Banfield Moore Harris 1890s
By 1891 James Banfield Moore Harris's children had left home and married. The 1891 census shows James once again back in the Infirmary at Lambeth Workhouse Renfrew Road Lambeth (pictured left and coloured red on the map below).
The lower picture shows the building in 2002.
James died at the age of 73 in 1896 of Chronic Bronchitus.
It would appear that James wasn"t permanently living at the Workhouse because the certificate shows his address as 89 Wyndham Road Camberwell presumably he was there for the Infirmary.
The map shows the large area the workhouse covered. Following is a contempory account discribing the just completed workhouse after its completion. The Lambeth Guardians briefly considered building an infirmary on the old Princes Road site. However, they eventually decided to erect the new infirmary at Brook Drive adjacent to the Renfrew Road workhouse and the project was completed in 1877. Casual wards were also added in 1877 at the south of the infirmary together a water-tower at the north-east of the workhouse administration block. There are two blocks for able-bodied and two for aged and infirm, all connected with the central block by a general corridor, 9 ft. wide, lighted on both sides, and having an open corridor above serving as a means of communication for the first floor. A system of rigid classification has been carried out in this design, and this separation of the several classes has been carried down to all minor offices. Each class has its own and distinct day-rooms, dormitories, staircases, lavatories, waterclosets, airing-grounds, and workrooms; the only common-place of meeting being the chapel and dining-room, where conversational intercourse is forbidden. The several classes in each sex are for aged, able-bodied of good character, and two subdivisions of able-bodied of bad character, together with accommodation for a limited number of boys and girls. There is a dining-hall for each sex leading direct from the kitchen, and a large chapel with open-timbered room. The outdoor poor department is arranged for 400 men and 200 women, and comprises large stone-yard, with 150 stalls, oakum and wood picking sheds and yards, and hand corn mills. The official block comprises a large waiting-hall for out door poor, the Boardroom and relief offices. The dining halls and chapels are warmed by Bacon's high pressure warming apparatus. All other rooms are heated by open fireplaces.
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