POOR HOUSES WORK HOUSES C Background The Poor

POOR HOUSES & WORK HOUSES C

Background The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, ensured that no able- bodied person could get poor relief UNLESS they went to live in “special

What Were Workhouses? ØWere tax-supported residential institutions to which people were required to go if they could not support themselves.

Who were allowed to receive help? ØPoor people, who did not have a job nor a home ØPhysically/mentally ill ØUnmarried mothers ØAbandoned/orphaned children

What were workhouses like? • Families were spilt up , they were punished if they spoke to one another. • The education for the children did not include reading and writing • Were forced to wear uniforms, everyone knew they were poor b/c of uniforms • Food was tasteless, gave them the same meal everyday • Children were sold to factories or mines

Detention Jobs: Man: Detention • Breaking stones • Picking Oakum- (4 lbs unbeaten/8 lbs beaten) • 9 hours of digging, pumping, cutting wood, grinding corn • Female: Detention • Picking Oakum- (2 lbs unbeaten/4 lbs beaten • 9 hours washing, scrubbing, cleaning, needlework

Punishments • A scold's bridle-iron muzzle in an iron framework that enclosed the head

Sources • www. primaryhomeworkhelp. co. uk/Victorians/workhouses. html • www. History. powys. org. uk/school 1 poor/labours. html • http: //www. workhouses. org. uk/life/rules. shtml • http: //www. victorianweb. org/history/poorlaw/ruleswh. html