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The crime of 'Destroying own clothes in workhouse'

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Redharissa

Redharissa Report 27 Mar 2007 23:46

I've been looking at an online table of arrests between the years 1905 to 1929 in my area. Type this into google to get to the page: 'Details taken from the cell book held in the museum at Newport Pagnell Police Museum' Most of the crimes are self-explanatory, including the rather unfortunate act involving a fowl - see for yourself, it is a bit rude! 'Drunk in charge of a Child' and 'Selling Pirated Music' - is nothing new? But I just do not understand the charge of 'Destroying own clothes in workhouse'. Why was it an arrestable offence and what would the implications have been? Thanks in advance, Tracey

Redharissa

Redharissa Report 27 Mar 2007 23:47

Can anyone tell me why this was considered a crime? More below.

Kate

Kate Report 27 Mar 2007 23:56

Could it be that maybe the workhouse provided inmates with clothes but those clothes remained the property of the workhouse and presumably cost money to replace? In the workhouse, I imagine inmates were destitute so the replacement would be paid for out of what money the poor law union had for a budget. Looking over that, it's really sad. Looks like women were arrested for concealing the fact that they'd given birth. They probably just didn't want to be separated from their baby. Although I do like 'Drunk in charge of a horse'.

An Olde Crone

An Olde Crone Report 28 Mar 2007 00:23

Inmates in workhouses had to wear a uniform. If an inmate ran away in their workhouse uniform, they would be arrested for stealing the clothes! Destroying one's own clothes was a crime too - as Kate said, the Union would have to stand the cost of replacing them. Or maybe the inmate had done it so they wouldnt be released from the workhouse? (Nowhere to go). Concealing the birth of a child was a crime anywhere, as if you concealed a birth you could also conceal the child's death... OC

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 28 Mar 2007 00:26

I think it is still a crime to be 'drunk in charge of a horse'. I wonder whar 'selling pirated music' involved in those days? Kath. x

Redharissa

Redharissa Report 28 Mar 2007 09:27

Kathleen, I wondered about that too. I almost thought it was a joke as I visualised some shady characters huddled round a gramophone up to no good. Alas the truth is much less glamorous. My musician friend reckons it would have involved reproducing and selling on sheets of musical scores. You can still be had for breach of copyright for doing that today! And thanks all for the explanation of the workhouse clothes situation.