Victorian Workhouses Overview

Study Notes

Approximately 35% of London's population lived in severe poverty during the Victorian era.
Poverty was largely caused by low wages set by wealthy factory owners who prioritized profits over worker welfare.
In 1834, the New Poor Law was enacted, worsening conditions for the impoverished and forcing them into workhouses.
Workhouses had existed since the 1380s, where individuals worked in exchange for meager wages and basic food, often in harsh conditions.
Common jobs in workhouses included unpicking rope and smashing rocks, which were physically demanding and undesirable.
Families were often separated upon entering workhouses, leading to a high likelihood of never reuniting.
Workhouses were colloquially known as “prisons for the poor,” reflecting their harsh realities and the stigma associated with them.
Wealthy individuals often portrayed poor families as eager to enter workhouses, obscuring the grim truth of their situation.
Unlike today, there were no pensions for elderly people in the Victorian era; they were expected to work until they could no longer do so.
The government believed that the fear of workhouses would motivate individuals to secure employment, despite the scarcity of jobs and low wages.
Workers in workhouses were compelled to wear uniforms, marking them as society's poorest and subjecting them to humiliation.
Thousands of poor individuals lived on the streets or in dire conditions, with little care given by those managing the workhouses.