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Our speaker began his talk with a general introduction about his beginnings of interest in the Workhouse from family history reference to the death of some one in a workhouse in Birmingham. The lack of information on Abingdon's House in the local library started his quest.
There followed an overview of the development of the system. A workhouse in Abingdon was mentioned in the 17th Century as well as one in Reading in the 1620's. During the 18th Century a number of private Acts of Parliament established amalgamations of parishes to set up Workhouses as well as more widespread authorisations such as Knatchbull's Act of 1723. The use of a residential system became seen as a way of cutting poor relief costs and by 1775 there were around 2000 such places.
Oxford had several different places during the century including one at Gloucester Green in 1792 according to a map. A private Act of Parliament in 1771 allowed the Incorporation of a House of Industry.
The real era of the workhouse was in the 19th Century. A variety of circumstances led to poor rates rise to what many saw as alarming levels and in 1834 The Poor Law Amendment Act set in place a fully regulated system of workhouses where the poor could be provided for at a reasonable cost. Assistant Commissioners for the Poor negotiated with local people and Unions of parishes were established. Private incorporations such as Oxford were exempt from the process.
Entry into the workhouse was purely voluntary paupers went to the local relieving officer who would issue an admission order (ticket). This was then confirmed by the Board of Guardians at their regular meeting held weekly as a general rule. Once inside the inmates were separated by age and sex. The buildings were built to make this easy, many laid out in a Y formation inside a perimeter which created separated exercise areas.
The Oxford City house started to become overcrowded and in 1855 an Industrial School was built in Cowley to relieve the situation. It was built quite large with the intention of getting othe local Unions to send their children there. They also built a new main house in Cowley Road to take the poor from the city parishes in 1865.
Inmates were issued with a uniform on entering the workhouse which had to be returned on leaving. A strict regime was established with everyone rising at 6am and going to bed at 8pm during the summer. During this time inmates were expected to work. The women did domestic chores; laundry, cleaning etc. The men did various work including bone grinding. The elderly supervised the young children.
The diet was based upon sheets provided by the official in London. A 1900 cook bok show selection of receipes and a relaxation of the more limited fare of the early diet sheets.
Vagraants were allowed in providing that they workde the next day to repay the night's lodging.
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