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Popular Myths about the Workhouse

Myth 8 - Conditions in workhouses were worse than in prisons.

Conditions in workhouses varied, as did those in prisons, especially prior to the nationalisation of Britain's prison system in 1877. For a time in the mid-nineteenth century, the amount of food served to prisoners could be greater than that provided in workhouses although it partly depended on the length of a prisoner's sentence and how far they were through it. Strangely, prisoners on long sentences got better food than those on short sentences — this was so that they could continue to perform the hard labour that often formed part of their punishment. In addition, prison inmates were typically able-bodied men, whereas workhouse inmates were more usually elderly or frail, with smaller food requirements.

One area of the workhouse where inmates were often treated particularly badly was the casual ward where vagrants could obtain overnight accommodation and food in return for a spell of labour the following morning, typically stone-breaking. The sleeping facilities in casual wards sometimes consisted of a couple of rugs on the floor, with dry bread to eat. In particularly unwelcoming workhouses, vagrants sometimes destroyed their nightshirts or bedding to try and obtain a transfer to a prison where they thought the food would be better, the work easier, and where they might get a room to themselves.

Overall though, the discipline and regime in a workhouse was generally much less severe than that in prison. By the latter part of the nineteenth century, workhouse inmates were often supplied with books and newspapers and weekly rations of tobacco, snuff and dry tea. There were occasional outings to the country or seaside, and local groups would sometimes come and give concerts for the inmates. And, unlike prison, you could leave if you wanted to.

Elderly inmates of St Marylebone workhouse enjoy a newspaper, smoke and company, c.1902. © Peter Higginbotham

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