Celebration of Christmas Day amongst the poor inmates of the metropolitan and suburban workhouses
A view of a typical 1840 workhouse meal
In the following will be found succinctly detailed the treatment of the poor, both old and young, the nature and quantity of the food they will receive on this day of universal festivity and any extra luxuries they may be indulged with. The number of paupers in each workhouse is specified, and compared with those of the previous year.
St Marylebone Workhouse - Paupers therein this day 1,661 (last Christmas Day there were but 1,558, making an increase this year of 103), of whom there are = adult males, 394; adult females, 735; boys, 224; girls, 146; infants, 162. Christmas day fare, adults, six ounces of roast beef, one pound of potatoes, one pound of plum pudding, one pint of porter, one ounce of ten, a quarter of a pound of sugar, with tobacco, snuff &c. at the adoption of the adults, each; children, similar food, without limitation, and in the evening oranges, apples and sweetmeats. To the out-door poor, amounting to 3,279, an additional allowance of bread.
Kingston Union - No reply to application made, but ascertained that the board of guardians have altered Christmas Day from a soup to a meat day, and have raised a subscription for plum-pudding, porter & c.
East London Union - Answer to application: We intend carrying out the order of the poor-law commissioners to the very letter, but I think that some little extras may be allowed in the evening. There are inmates of both houses, Aldsgate and Bishopsgate, about 500 adults and 250 children farmed out at Aubin's Asylum, Norwood.
A Victorian Christmas
-
A Victorian Christmas: Victoria's Christmas
Read now to access more details of A Victorian Christmas: Victoria's ChristmasVictoria spends Christmas 1837 with a "merry" Lord Melbourne.
Level: 1 Introductory
-
A Victorian Christmas: Charles Darwin in New Zealand
Read now to access more details of A Victorian Christmas: Charles Darwin in New ZealandIn 1835, Charles Darwin had what he hoped would be his last Christmas before returning to Britiain.
Level: 1 Introductory
-
A Victorian Christmas: Thackeray goes to the pantomime
Read now to access more details of A Victorian Christmas: Thackeray goes to the pantomimeIn this extract from Roundabout Papers, William Makepeace Thackeray describes a festive entertainment which takes liberties with history. Not that Thackeray is above taking a few liberties of his own...
Level: 1 Introductory
-
A Victorian Christmas: Christmas in Dreamthorp
Read now to access more details of A Victorian Christmas: Christmas in DreamthorpThe essayist and poet Alexander Smith's Dreamthorp is a collection of essays he wrote in the countryside. This extract, titled Christmas, is anchored in the December of 1862, and includes some personal views which are very much of their time.
Level: 1 Introductory
Rate and Review
Rate this article
Review this article
Log into OpenLearn to leave reviews and join in the conversation.
Article reviews