Poverty and the PoorhouseLO: Understand why people were forced into the Poorhouse. Describing the conditions of the workhouse.

SC: Concise note taking and detailed answers to build exam style answers.

Think, Pair, Share

Why did people end up in the Workhouse (poor house)??

Some causes of poverty• Unemployment • Illness/ death of the wage earner• Too many children• Unexpected bills• Old age• Wasted money• Other causes – includes ‘buying dear’, the

purchase of small quantities of food at higher prices

• Idolence (laziness), drink and poor budgeting were not found to be major causes of poverty, contrary to Middle Class Victorian beliefs.

Booth and Rowntree

• Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree carried out a study in York at the turn of the century

• They found that 30% of the population was living without adequate food, clothing and shelter

• Old age, unemployment and casual labour were found to be the main causes of poverty

• Another reason was that wages for full time employment were too low

Children born, expenses up and mother quits work

First married, couple both working

First children go to work, bringing in income and mother can again work

These children leave home to begin own families; old age spent in poverty

The poverty trap

Poverty line

Poverty in Britain

Life in a workhouse

• Religious overtones as charity in the 19th and early 20th century was Church funded

Women picking oakum in the workhouse

“Picking oakum was used as a punishment in prison, and in workhouses as a way of able-bodied inmates earning their board and lodging.”

The Work House

Townhead poorhouse

• Glasgow City Poorhouse c. 1828• Report found it was inadequate

in separating sick and able-bodied

• Poor sanitary conditions• Water closets used as

sculleries/ pantries• Poor bathing facilities – 290

men took their weekly bath in 2 baths – took 12 hours to complete

Inadequate facilities for open-air exerciseBadly lit and ventilated day rooms

• Opened in 1845 this was originally designed as the Glasgow Lunatic Asylum

• 1,500 beds• One of the largest pauper institutions in Britain

“Occupational Therapy for Paupers”

Basket weaving

Working in the workhouse laundry

Task

• Complete in full sentences the “life in poverty” in class and “the workhouse” worksheet for homework

Govan Workhouse

• http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Govan/

Workhouse Roll

Pay particular attention the Sexton family and Winifred MurphyWhy were people in the workhouse?

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Glasgow/Glasgow1881.shtml

Tasks for today

When complete write a descriptive paragraph about life in the workhouse. What people have you met? Why are they there? What are the conditions like? Use the key words below:

pauper workhouse oakumdegradation asylum