What jobs did they do in the workhouse?
The women mostly did domestic jobs such as cleaning, or helping in the kitchen or laundry. Some workhouses had workshops for sewing, spinning and weaving or other local trades. Others had their own vegetable gardens where the inmates worked to provide food for the workhouse.
Are workhouse records online?
Few workhouse records are online, so the best place to start is often the County Record Office local to the institution. You will need to know roughly when your ancestor was in the workhouse and, if it was after 1834, which Poor Law Union their parish belonged to.
What were the conditions like in a workhouse?
The harsh system of the workhouse became synonymous with the Victorian era, an institution which became known for its terrible conditions, forced child labour, long hours, malnutrition, beatings and neglect.
What punishments were used in the workhouse?
Punishments: Punishments inflicted by the master and the board included sending people to the refractory ward, and for children, slaps with the rod; or for more serious offences inmates were summoned to the Petty Sessions and in some cases jailed for a period of time.
How do I access my workhouse records?
Visit The Workhouse website to access extensive information about workhouses. The ‘records and resources’ section may help you find out which local archives hold workhouse records.
Did you get paid in a workhouse?
This growth in the number of workhouses was prompted by the Workhouse Test Act 1723; by obliging anyone seeking poor relief to enter a workhouse and undertake a set amount of work, usually for no pay (a system called indoor relief), the Act helped prevent irresponsible claims on a parish’s poor rate.
What were the punishments in the workhouse?
Rules and Punishment
| Name | Offence | Punishment |
|---|---|---|
| Rowe, Sarah | Noisy and swearing | Lock’d up for 24 hours on bread and water. |
| Aplin, John | Disorderly at Prayer-time | Lock’d up for 24 hours on bread and water. |
| Mintern, George | Fighting in school | No cheese for one week. |
| Greenham, Mary and Payne, Priscella | Quarreling and fighting | No meat 1 week. |
Who is involved in the Southwell Workhouse Project?
The Southwell Workhouse project has allowed academics to work with The National Trust and local volunteer editors who have an interest in local, social and family history.
When was the Thurgarton Hundred Incorporation workhouse built?
The Thurgarton Hundred Incorporation Workhouse, later the Southwell Poor Law Union Workhouse, was built in 1824 and was a template for the harsh ‘deterrent’ Victorian workhouse system ushered in nationally with the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act.
When was Park Leys added to Southwell Workhouse?
Park Leys was added in 1858. The key source for the Southwell Workhouse poverty project has been The Nottinghamshire Guardian from around 1849 up to (currently) the early 1870s.
When was the Southwell Poor Law Union formed?
The Southwell Poor Law Union was formed in 1836 and was made up of the following parishes: