Using the sources and my own knowledge explain if I agree with this assessment of the evidence available at Gressenhall.

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Claire Lewis

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‘A visit to Gressenhall is the best way to learn about living and working conditions is this workhouse after the Poor Law Amendment Act.’ Using the sources and my own knowledge explain if I agree with this assessment of the evidence available at Gressenhall.

       In this essay I will be either agreeing or disagreeing that visiting Gressenhall workhouse is the greatest way to learn about living and Working conditions in this workhouse.

      Firstly source A, an account of a visit by Lord and Lady Townshend to Gressenhall House of Industry. This source gives me a clear but biased impression of Gressenhall before 1834. This source is biased due to the Lady and Lord would have been one of the ratepayers and also would not of wanted to of seen paupers on the streets. This means that they would of agreed and would have been supporting the workhouse system. Also this is not as appropriate as the other sources, this is because it is written previous to 1834 and I am studying the time subsequent to 1834. On the other hand the visit to Gressenhall at location 5 would not of been a biased opinion of living and working conditions. At location 5, the museum, showed myself a recreated family room. This gave me a good idea of living conditions in the workhouse, as I got to see it first hand. This location also showed the Robert Kerrison painting from 1810. This was valuable as it gave me a view of what Gressenhall workhouse was like previous to the Poor Law Amendment Act. On the whole a visit to Gressenhall is an enhanced way to learn about the conditions in comparison to source A, as it was not really appropriate.

      Next, source B, a report of the Royal Commission into the Poor Laws, 1834. This source is appropriate for my study, as it is subsequent to 1834. Source B tells me about the harsh conditions following 1834. This source furthermore tells myself about the segregation of the different groups of paupers. This source is only saying what they wanted the workhouse to be like, considering the paupers.

      Source C a plan of Gressenhall Union Workhouse, 1849, shows mainly the walls. This source shows the, segregation walls, perimeter walls and the porter’s lodge. On location 1, 2, and 3 I could collect a lot of information than I could from source C.  Whereas at location 1, the front gate I could find more information than in the source. At this location I saw evidence of the perimeter wall, which was evidence of Gressenhall being made harsher. The buildings themselves were stark, undecorated, prison-like structures. There were no curves in the buildings, 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 'refinement' was to have the windowsills sloping downwards, preventing them from being used as seats of shelves. I furthermore saw the gates, which were not evident in the source. The front gates also show evidence of the conditions being made harsher following 1834.  I also saw the porter’s lodge, which is more evidence that Gressenhall was made harsher, by looking at the difference in the masonry from the original house. The porter's lodge next to the gateway was built in the late 19th century, replacing an earlier porter's lodge which dated from 1835-6 The segregation walls, which I saw on my visit shows the evidence of change over time, which I could not find out in the source. The workhouse inmates were 'classified' without incident in the autumn of 1836, in the presence of four policemen. At location 2, which is, the Infirmary Yard I could see evidence of blocked up arcades. These are also evidence about Gressenhall becoming harsh as this is representing the loss of freedom after 1834. There was also more evidence of a segregation walls here. At location 3 I could see how a window was blocked up to make room for the punishment cell, and also another segregation wall.  At location 5, Cherry Tree Cottage I could see the easing of the conditions at Gressenhall. In 1853, the building now called Cherry Tree Cottage was erected to provide accommodation for aged married couples - the first relaxation in the policy of segregation of the sexes.

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Overall a visit to Gressenhall in compassion to source C is a better way to learn about the living conditions and how Gressenhall became harsher.

      The next source, which is, source D, diet instructions for able-bodied paupers of both sexes. Issued by the Poor Law Commission in 1836, shows the fugal diet that the paupers had. This source is reliable as it was written 1836, in the time of the workhouses. On my visit to Gressenhall I saw a mock up of a meal, which the paupers would have had, at location 5, which was the museum. ...

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