Victorian Workhouse

by Trevor May

Whether it was 'the batille', 'the spike', 'the work'us' or simply 'the house', the Victorian workhouse was the cause of dread and shame for thousands of men, women and children. The workhouse was the last resort, and the authorities intended that it should be seen as such. This book looks at the principles that lay beind the New Poor Law of 1834, at the design and construction of workhouses, and at the lives of those who entered them, either as officers or as paupers.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1997

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, short and sweet.

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Shire Library titles. They are lovely for what they are -- microcosms of particularity. Almost any trivial subject matter I might read about is featured in their books. They are specific but don't delve too deeply into the topic -- just enough to whet your appetite.

This title answered many of my workhouse questions, although I was hoping for more about the Poor Laws in Ireland.

[Bill38silver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and short, a useful introduction to a fascinating subject. It has a helpful section on "Further Reading".

My one gripe is not with the author but with the way in which the main text is split by illustrations, often too small to be beneficial and with descriptions in italics which break up the flow of the narrative.

[Don Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, although not as much detail on some parts of life in workhouses

[George Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I expected, educational.