Genealogy Chat

DAILY ROUTINE IN THE WORKHOUSE 1835
...................MARCH TO SEPT.....SEPT TO MARCH
RISING...........6am........................7am
BREAKFAST..6;30-7am................7;30-8am
WORK............7am.........................8;am
DINNER.........12-1pm....................12-1pm
FINISH............6pm.........................6pm
SUPPER.........6-7pm......................6-7pm
BED................8pm..........................8pm

Blimey Dizzi the first six I used to do but bed by 8 a no no. But I suppose nothing else to do

Carol

No commuting, only a 9 hour working day in the winter, at least 10 hours in bed a night and 3 free meals a day. Sounds like a pretty easy life compared to some at the time and some even today.

MY OH GETS UP AT 4.;30..............LEAVES HOME 5;30
AT 6AM STARTS A 12 HOUR SHIFT WITH HALF HOUR LUNCH
FINISH WORK AT 6 ,,DINNER 7;30.BED AT 9;30

i am shocked at your answeres

workkouses were a terrible life my nan was in one

she was terrifyd of our local hospital as it had once been a workhouse

she was there from when she was born untillshe was a young girl

i was 10 when she died and did not know about her being in a workhouse untill i joined gr but remember her fear of the hospital and now i know why

sally w

Yes workhouses were not the best of places to live, but some children may have had a worse time being at home with their parents and 10 siblings squashed in a 2 or 3 bed house (if that) with little food.

We cant change the past it happened

My g/g grandmother had twins in the workhouse and my g/grandfather died in one, am fully aware what terrible places they were, but as Jax says we can't change the past. I cannot see what was so shocking about the three replies :-S

Carol

I'M SORRY IF IT SHOCKED YOU WITH MY REPLY BUT AT LEAST NOMATTER HOW BAD THEY WERE PEOPLE HAD A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD AND MEALS,WITHOUT WORKHOUSES THE CHANCES ARE THEY WOULD HAVE DIED ON THE STREET.

AND AS JAX SAID
WE CANNOT CHANGE THE PAST
THAT IS HISTORY

There is no denying that workhouses were not pleasant places however it is important to recognise why that was so. The prime purpose of a workhouse was to provide a last resort shelter for people who, perhaps through no fault of their own, were destitute. The fact that the innocent children of those who ended up in the workhouse also ended up there is regrettable but at the time there were very few other options available. I suppose the only real alternative would have been to let the unfortunates die in the street.

Often the workhouse infirmary was the only medical facility available to the ordinary citizen, particularly the aged, the infirm and women about to give birth. It was very common for the workhouse infirmary to go on to become the first public hospital in an area.

The workhouse conditions and regime were as they were because that way there was little danger of workhouse life being seen as a soft option to trying to be productive and pay your own way in life. Being truthful I feel that there would most likely be fewer people content to live on state handouts today were similar principles applied.

NOT A LOT OF HISTORY IS PLESANT BUT THAT IS HOW WE LEARN BY PAST EFFORTS AND MISTAKES

Well said Jonesey, so true Dizzi.

Carol

i am sorry for the late reply but i had a fall

i know what you mean my gt gran was liveing in a field in shed with 3 older children before the workhouse but your answeres seemed abit fluffy

and yes i know about over crowding my mum was 1 of 13 children liveing in two up and two down railway cottage


thanks for te discushon
sally w

Sally,

Sorry to hear about your fall. I hope that you are now fully recovered.

thankyou jonesey i am getting there :-D

sally w