Why did the Andover Workhouse Scandal have National as well as Local Consequences?

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Why did the Andover Workhouse Scandal have National as well as Local Consequences?

The Andover Workhouse Scandal took place during the mid 1840s and not only had consequences locally for the poor law union of Andover, but had effects on a national scale.

   Following the scandal, the McDougall’s were under a lot of pressure to resign from their positions as Workhouse Masters. This pressure came from the Poor Law Commissioners who were in turn under a lot of pressure from Parliament who were imposing a Commission of Enquiry investigating the Andover case. It is apparent that the Poor Law Commissioners had realised their inadequacies in handling the situation at Andover and were desperately trying to make it appear as though they had taken appropriate action by making the workhouse masters resign.

   The Andover Scandal had raised serious questions about the continuance of bonecrushing and another indication of the Poor Law Commissioner’s anxieties at the prospect of a Parliament investigation is the order that they issued, abolishing bonecrushing as work in all workhouses in December 1845. This was around the same time as they suggested that the McDougalls should resign. It seems the only thing that would make the Poor Law Commissioners take action on the Andover case was the fear of Parliament discovering their incompetence in doing their job and perhaps sacking them.    

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   The fact that Parliament had also decided to take matters into their own hands brings up questions about the Poor Law Commission. They set up a Commission of Enquiry and became directly involved in investigating the conditions and management of Andover. This suggests that Parliament were questioning the Poor Law Commissioner’s ability to handle the Andover case after they had let it get so out of control. Even Parliament was losing confidence in their Poor Law Commissioners.

   The scandal involved was publicised and reported widely by The Times newspaper. Being as most readers of The Times were wealthy, ...

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