A guide to a workhouse
The buildings themselves were dreary, undecorated, prison-like structures. There were no curves only sharp corners. There was no architectural decoration. High walls surrounded the whole workhouse, cutting off the view of the outside world from the inmates. Even the windows were six feet from the floor, and a further 'adaptation' was to have the window sills sloping downwards, preventing them from being used as seats of shelves.
If heating was provided it was useless.
The workhouses were made to be awful to prevent people from going there and finding work for themselves instead.
Workhouses contained dormitories, washrooms, workrooms, a solitary confinement ward, the mortuary, bake-house, receiving wards, dining halls and a chapel. Any sick or old person housed on the upper floors would be virtually a prisoner in the ward because they would be unable to get back down the stairs!
Space was usually rare. Too many people were crammed into the smallest spaces possible: for example, eight beds could be put into a narrow dormitory only sixteen feet long; thirty-two men were put into a dormitory 20 feet long; ten children and their attendants were put into a room 10 feet by 15 feet.
The hospital ward took in all cases, so at any one time there may have been patients suffering from any variety of complaints ranging from broken legs, measles, typhoid fever and smallpox to blindness, scarlet fever, diphtheria and dysentery.
The basic furniture was a cheap wooden bed with a 'flock-filled' sack as a mattress. Two or three blankets were provided, but pillows were considered an uncalled for luxury. Sheets were not provided. Most people shared a bed; the beds were arranged as in a barracks - two rows of bunks. Other furniture included wooden stools or benches ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
The hospital ward took in all cases, so at any one time there may have been patients suffering from any variety of complaints ranging from broken legs, measles, typhoid fever and smallpox to blindness, scarlet fever, diphtheria and dysentery.
The basic furniture was a cheap wooden bed with a 'flock-filled' sack as a mattress. Two or three blankets were provided, but pillows were considered an uncalled for luxury. Sheets were not provided. Most people shared a bed; the beds were arranged as in a barracks - two rows of bunks. Other furniture included wooden stools or benches and wooden tables. Few seats had arms or back-rests and none were upholstered. The walls were 'decorated' with lists of rules, Bible passages telling the inmates how lucky they were. There were no newspapers, no books, no toys, and no games.
The Commission classified the inmates into seven groups:
Men frail through age or illness
Women frail through age or illness
Able-bodied men over 15 years
Able-bodied women over 15 years
Boys between 7 and 15
Girls between 7 and 15
Children under the age of 7
The seven groups were to be kept totally separated at all times, even during 'leisure' time. Married couples, even the elderly, were to be kept apart at all costs so that they could not 'breed'. Each of the seven classes was supposed to have its own exercise yard. There was no segregation of inmates after the seven classes had been separated. This meant that the old, ill, insane, slightly unbalanced and fit were kept together both day and night with no form of change. Inmates simply sat and did nothing if they were not working.
On admission, an inmate's clothes were removed and stored. They was searched, washed, had there hair cropped and were given workhouse clothing. This consisted of, for a woman: a shapeless, waist less dress, which reached the ankles, made of striped (convict-style) fabric, a shapeless shift, long stockings and knee-length knickers. She also was given a poke-bonnet. A man was given a striped shirt, ill-fitting trousers (the length being adjusted at the knee with a piece of string), thick vest, woollen knickers and socks, a neckerchief and (in winter) a coarse jacket. Children were similarly dressed. All the inmates were given hob-nailed boots.
The daily routine, set down by the 1834 Act was:
5am Rising Bell
6am - 7am Prayers and Breakfast
7am - 12 noon Work
2 noon - 1pm Dinner
pm - 6pm Work
6pm - 7pm Prayers
7pm - 8pm Supper
8pm Bed
A Typical Workhouse Diet
Breakfast Dinner Supper
Monday 11/2 pints of gruel; 8 oz bread, water 7 oz. bread, 2 oz. cheese, water 6 oz. bread, 11/2 oz. cheese, water
Tuesday 11/2 pints of gruel; 8 oz bread, water 8 oz. cooked meat, 3/4lb. Potatoes, water 6 oz. bread, 11/2 oz. cheese, water
Wednesday 11/2 pints of gruel; 8 oz bread, water 7 oz. bread, 2 oz. Cheese, water 6 oz. bread, 11/2 oz. cheese, water
Thursday 11/2 pints of gruel; 8 oz bread, water 11/2 pints of soup, bread, water 6 oz. bread, 11/2 oz. cheese, water
Friday 11/2 pints of gruel; 8 oz bread, water 7 oz. bread, 2 oz. Cheese, water 6 oz. bread, 11/2 oz. cheese, water
Saturday 11/2 pints of gruel; 8 oz bread, water 5 oz. bacon, 3/4lb. Potatoes, water 6 oz. bread, 11/2 oz. cheese, water
Sunday 11/2 pints of gruel; 8 oz bread, water 7 oz. bread, 2 oz. Cheese, water 6 oz. bread, 11/2 oz. cheese, water
Women and children received the same food as men, but less of it. Speaking at mealtimes was forbidden absolutely and some workhouses did not provide cutlery, forcing the inmates to eat with their fingers. Tea and butter were provided only for the over-60s, if at all.
Meals were as dull, predictable and tasteless as poor cooking and no imagination could make them. Often the quantity, quality and lack of nutrition meant that workhouse inmates were on a slow starvation diet.
Alex Butcher
