| September 28, 2002 |
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History of the Workhouse
If  you're familiar with the term "workhouse," you most likely read about it in a Dickens' novel in which the workhouse was portrayed as a foul, squalid place run by cruel overseers. This site, however, looks at the workhouse as a fascinating mix of social history, politics, economics, and architecture. Learn how the 1601 act established parish-based relief for the poor, and then read about the "new" poor laws of 1834 that turned the workhouse from a simple place of employment into a serious determent for becoming destitute in the first place. Use the lists and maps of poor-law unions to view photos, floor plans, and links to detailed records of workhouses. Check out the Workhouse Life page for an insightful look into the rules and regulations, daily schedule, punishments, clothing, diet, and types of work found in the houses. The workhouse may have seemed a fate worse than death at the time, but this site brings these institutions and the people who lived in them to life. (in History) |
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