Starter activity

This is Thurgarton Workhouse in Nottinghamshire. Remembering that most working class people lived in cramped, overcrowded houses with poor sanitary conditions, how do you think people might have felt when they were told they were going to work and live in a workhouse similar to this one?

Were workhouses Were workhouses so bad?so bad?

Your taskYour task

As you find out about the Poor Law and As you find out about the Poor Law and workhouses in Victorian England you will workhouses in Victorian England you will note down any information that a supporter note down any information that a supporter would agree with or any information that a would agree with or any information that a critic would agree with in a table similar to critic would agree with in a table similar to the one below.the one below.

Slide titleSlide title SupporterSupporter CriticCritic

1834 Poor Law1834 Poor Law Previously poor had been looked after by parishPreviously poor had been looked after by parish Now poor looked after by Poor Law Unions with Boards of Now poor looked after by Poor Law Unions with Boards of

Governors to administer themGovernors to administer them Established 100s of workhouses across the countryEstablished 100s of workhouses across the country Anyone claiming (old, sick or unemployed) Anyone claiming (old, sick or unemployed) outdoor reliefoutdoor relief

had to work in workhousehad to work in workhouse Conditions inside workhouses must be worse than the Conditions inside workhouses must be worse than the

lowest-paid workerlowest-paid worker

A typical workhouse of

the nineteenth

century

RegulationsRegulations 1847, 1847, commissionerscommissioners

issued detailed issued detailed regulationsregulations

Everyone entering a Everyone entering a workhouse needed a workhouse needed a medical examinationmedical examination

Unwell paupers would Unwell paupers would be isolated in be isolated in infirmariesinfirmaries

Paupers would be Paupers would be cleaned and made to cleaned and made to wear a special uniformwear a special uniform

Men and women were Men and women were separatedseparated

PunishmentsPunishments

Evidence from Evidence from Gressenhall Gressenhall WorkhouseWorkhouse

PunishmentPunishment

John Craske & Anne his wife were John Craske & Anne his wife were brought before the Board for brought before the Board for stealing bread. They shall be put in stealing bread. They shall be put in the dungeon for 24 hours and their the dungeon for 24 hours and their diet shall be bread and water for the diet shall be bread and water for the remainder of the week.remainder of the week.

Daily routineDaily routine

Hour of rising Hour of rising 5.45pm5.45pm Interval for breakfast Interval for breakfast 6.30-7-.00am6.30-7-.00am Time for work Time for work 7.00-12.00pm7.00-12.00pm Interval for dinner Interval for dinner 12.00-1.00pm12.00-1.00pm Time for work Time for work 1.00-6.00pm1.00-6.00pm Interval for supper Interval for supper 6.00-7.00pm6.00-7.00pm Time for going to bed Time for going to bed 8.00pm8.00pm

Click to compare with daily routine of working

girl in 1820s Lancashire

The schoolsThe schools

I have this day inspected the schools. I have this day inspected the schools. The boys answered remarkably well in The boys answered remarkably well in the Scriptures. Indeed, their religious the Scriptures. Indeed, their religious knowledge would do any school credit. knowledge would do any school credit. Their arithmetic is fair and they possess Their arithmetic is fair and they possess greater knowledge of geography than is greater knowledge of geography than is usually the case in schools of this usually the case in schools of this description. Their reading is still much description. Their reading is still much below their other attainments and their below their other attainments and their writing might be improved.writing might be improved.

Employment on leaving the Employment on leaving the workhouseworkhouse

Artists 1Artists 1 Army 8Army 8 Carpenters 2Carpenters 2 Gentleman’s Gentleman’s

service 11service 11 Harnessmaker 1Harnessmaker 1 Printers 1Printers 1

Shoemakers 5Shoemakers 5 Tailors 4Tailors 4 Schoolmasters 4Schoolmasters 4 Farm service 12Farm service 12 Other employments Other employments

2626 No known 12No known 12

Destinations of boys from Destinations of boys from Gressenhall Workhouse, 1845-Gressenhall Workhouse, 1845-5353

Public reactionsPublic reactions

Improved morals of the poor, public Improved morals of the poor, public houses and beer shops are much houses and beer shops are much quieterquieter

The New Poor Law has saved huge The New Poor Law has saved huge sums of public moneysums of public money

People who could not be made to work People who could not be made to work have now become good labourershave now become good labourers

Families should not be separatedFamilies should not be separated The workhouse is held in great dreadThe workhouse is held in great dread

Your taskYour task

Work in groups of 5 or 6. Imagine you Work in groups of 5 or 6. Imagine you have been invited to dinner by your have been invited to dinner by your new neighbours. As the evening goes new neighbours. As the evening goes on it appears that the guests around on it appears that the guests around the table are divided over issue of the the table are divided over issue of the New Poor Law and workhouses. Create New Poor Law and workhouses. Create a role play using your notes to a role play using your notes to demonstrate the division. Try to bring demonstrate the division. Try to bring as much historical detail into your as much historical detail into your argument as possible.argument as possible.

Click here for an example

Outdoor reliefOutdoor relief

Money given to poor people in Money given to poor people in parishes where there was no parishes where there was no poorhouse or other form of poorhouse or other form of accommodation. The money was accommodation. The money was given to poor people so they could given to poor people so they could stay in their own homes even if they stay in their own homes even if they were sick or out of work.were sick or out of work.

InfirmaryInfirmary

A sort of hospital, where the sick A sort of hospital, where the sick could be cared for away from could be cared for away from everyone else until they were better.everyone else until they were better.

CommissionersCommissioners

Government officials who are given a Government officials who are given a specific job to do such as gather specific job to do such as gather information on a particular problem information on a particular problem and write up a report.and write up a report.