Find out about what happened at the workhouse during World War II, see how the system changed after the creation of the NHS and hear memories of the people who lived and worked there at the time.

This talk is given as part of the Gressenhall 250th anniversary in 2027, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Note: 2pm start

The talk “From Workhouse to Welfare” looks at how Gressenhall’s former workhouse operated during World War II, how its role changed after the creation of the NHS in 1948, and shares first‑hand memories from people who lived or worked there.

Gressenhall first opened in 1777 as a House of Industry. It became the Mitford & Launditch Union Workhouse in 1836, and by the 1930s was known as Beech House Public Assistance Institution. After 1948 it transitioned into Beech House County Care Home, also providing emergency accommodation for evicted families, until closing in 1975.

The 250th‑anniversary project (supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Friends of Gressenhall) includes new research, exhibitions, youth engagement, and costumed events throughout 2027. It aims to uncover lesser‑known periods of the site’s history, especially the mid‑20th‑century years when Beech House served vulnerable rural Norfolk residents.