The Southwell Workhouse

In the 1840's, each parish was responsible for looking after its own poor.  The workhouse was built to replace 'outdoor relief' which was a system where the parish paid an allowance to paupers who were living in their own homes.  Now the paupers could poor people could enter the workhouse where they would be housed and fed.  The living conditions in the workhouse were deliberately made unpleasant to stop people from wanting to go there.

There were separate sections for men, women and children and also an office and accommodation for the Master and Matron.  The children also had a schoolroom.  There were separate exercise yards and work yards for men and women.  Members of the same family were kept apart most of the time.  The Master had his  office in the centre of the building and he could watch all the inmates from it.

This the view from the Master's office of the excersie yards. The bit in the corner is the toilet

Other buildings included a laundry, punishment room and bake house.  There was a Board of Guardians who were responsible for making sure that the rules were properly followed in the workhouse.

The first thing that happened when someone came to the workhouse was to get washed and checked for lice and diseases in the Wash House.

One of the duties of the female paupers was washing and drying clothes and the bedding for The Workhouse.  When the workhouse was built the washing was done in the women's work yards.  There were huge drying racks which were warmed by an open fire and later by hot water pipes.

The work yard and water pump

One of the jobs done by men in the workhouse was Oakum Picking.  Old rope from the rigging of ships was sent to the workhouses. It was cut into sections about 2 feet long.  The men would have to pick the rope apart to produce oakum which was used in water proofing for ships.  The rope was very hard and would cut and blister their fingers.

Men also did stone breaking and bone crushing.  All the work was hard and unpleasant. Men also looked after the garden and any livestock and cleaned and painted the inside of the workhouse.

All the cooking was done by the women. They also had to clean and make clothes for the inmates.  Sometimes the women would be sent to pick oakum.

Boys did oakum picking as well as painting and gardening. Girls would learn sewing and cooking and cleaning so they could help the women when they were old enough.  When children were 10 or 11 they had to leave the workhouse and find a job.

the kitchen

The food in the workhouse was very plain.  For breakfast the men would get bread and milk every day.  For dinner they would get cooked meat and potatoes. For supper they got bread and milk. This was almost the same every day.

Women got smaller amounts and they got gruel instead of milk.  This is what children got to eat.
Breakfast - half a pint of porridge and 8 oz of bread.
Dinner - beef broth or boiled meat and potatoes
Supper - half a pint of porridge and 8 oz bread.

The old and infirm were only given spoons to eat with.  If an inmate thought they were getting too little food they were entitled to challenge the Master and have their food re-weighed.

All the inmates had a uniform to wear and they wore clogs on their feet.

The workhouse was built to house 158 paupers. All the staircases were separated from each other and were steep and dark.  The dormitories were on the second floor.

The School room

The Dormitory