The Downpatrick Recorder chronicles life for inmates in workhouse 180 years ago

1 March 2023

THE situation of the workhouse is well chosen. It is built on a moderate eminence and exposed to the healthful breeze which circulate pure and wholesome air through its many apartments.

The rear commands a delightful prospect. Mere scenery may be little cared for by a starving man, but to those who have secured to them the necessities of life, and are free from the care and turmoil and struggles of life, and especially to those who tenant the sick chambers, the prospect of wood an water and mountain may not be altogether without its particular charm. The lovely scenes of nature are common to the rich and the poor, and both may enjoy them equally in proportion to their tastes.

In the boys’ school, conducted by Mr Kingham, we found the greatest order and attention to business. Some were arranged in classes, under the superintendence of monitors, and others quietly engaged at lessons at their seats.

The walls were hung around with lesson sheets pasted on boards, the same as those used by the Kildare-place Society, and also with maps, some illustrative of ural geography.

The writing of some of the boys does them credit and they have made considerable progress in arithmetic. Religious instruction is afforded by the chaplains, each taking charge of those who belong to his own persuasion.

The girls’ school, under Miss M McCreedy, is similarly conducted. We found the pupils equally orderly and attentive. In addition to the usual branches of school education in such establishments, several of the elder girls were engaged in various exercises of needlework.

We regard these schools as forming a most important department of the Poor-Law system. Here are boys and girls, who might have grown up in want and ignorance, supplied with the necessities of life, food and clothing and shelter, receiving mental training and knowledge, secular and religious, which will, with prudence, rescue them entirely from their previous impoverished condition, and prepare them for occupying higher stations in life.

We may mention here, that some of the boys are taught how to make shoes and clothes; and the girls to knit and spin, and make dresses, and perform the duties of servants. These schools, then, with the other instructions imparted in the workhouse, are of the greatest importance in several respects, both to the young paupers and the community.

The former will be prepared for earning their living in honesty. To the public it will be an advantage to have pauperism diminished by the total removal of these from its ranks. The sons, perhaps, and daughters of mendicants, they might have led the same life, as well as a burden to society; now they will be trained in the workhouse to emerge into new stations – to become useful servants, mechanics, soldiers and sailors, and eat the bread of honest industry.

It will also be an advantage to the public to have such a nursery for servants and apprentices, from which to supply themselves. Considering the difficulty generally experienced in obtaining proper servants this must be a desideratum.

The able-bodied paupers, though there are few of this class, are variously employed, according to their several capabilities. They keep clean the house and its furniture so clean and neat as we saw them – and to wash the linen – that they must, in themselves, be no inconsiderable task.

Breaking

Some are engaged in breaking stones, some in outdoor employments and others in weaving. The women are kept at knitting, sewing, and spinning. The weaving and spinning seem to be economical branches of employment.

All the clothing – with the exception of the first supply furnished by contract – is prepared from the raw material, by the paupers themselves. It is spun, woven, bleached and made up in the workhouse. This, of course, will be a saving to the Union. The persons so employed will not be indebted to the public for their entire support. We have seen the linen and drugget thus manufactured, and they are good substantial fabrics.

The food afforded to the paupers is potatoes and buttermilk for dinner, and porridge and buttermilk for breakfast and supper. The dietary is appropriated as follows:- Breakfast 6oz of oatmeal, quart of buttermilk; dinner, 3lb of potatoes, and the same quantity of buttermilk, supper, 4oz of oatmeal, and the same quality of buttermilk.

We had the opportunity of seeing the paupers at dinner, and nothing could exceed the order and regularity with which, from the youngest to the oldest, they proceeded to take their places in the dining hall. There seemed to be under an admirable system of discipline, so essential to all establishments where persons live in communities.

We heard no complaints as to the food provided for them; yet we think it might be desirable if the Guardians would order – instead of buttermilk – some substantial soup on at least two days a week – especially in the winter season. The difference in expense would be little, as there are vegetables produces produced on the workhouse grounds, and butchers meat being at present sold at a reasonable price.

The occasional substitution of soup for buttermilk would be favourable to the health of the paupers, and thus diminish the number of hospital cases. Besides, the thing is not without precedent.

In the neighbouring Unions of Newtownards, Belfast, Lisburn, and we believe, Newry, the paupers are occasionally supplied with soup for dinner.

We are aware that this matter was discussed by Guardians, but we would, nevertheless, recommend it again to their attention. If the comfort of the paupers can be increased without any perceptible increase in expense, the change suggested is founded on reason of humanity, and ought to be adopted.

The clothing worn by the paupers is made of linen and drugget, at first supplied by contract, now manufactured in the workhouse. To judge by the appearance of the paupers it seems to be sufficiently warm. The only visible want is that of shoes by the boys and girls – a want which now, that winter has set in, must be felt.

The dormitories are remarkably clean, and well ventilated, and the beds each day are neatly folded and arranged. In this department the paupers must be quite comfortable. What a contrast there is between the dry, airy rooms and the warm beds they now occupy, with the cold damp hovels, with sorry fuel and miserable couches, which they once possessed, while some had not even the most wretched spot they could call their own.

Philanthropic

Legislators may have been mistaken as to the best way of providing for the poor, yet, their intentions were good, their motives were philanthropic, and the buildings now erected as homes to the destitute – asylums for the unfortunate — do honour to the country, where they goad for nothing more than affording shelter and support for the aged, the infirm and the orphan.

In separate rooms we found infirm and old men and women seated around good fires, or reclining on their beds. Some were conversing, others reading. We heard no complaints, and all seem contented. In other apartments idiots were taken care of by paupers appointed to that duty; and in others infants were carefully nursed. We say carefully, for they were quiet, with one exception, which is proof sufficient that they were not receiving bad treatment.

We were rather surprised to see that a portion of the grounds have not been made available for purposes of cultivation, but remain the same, wild unproductive state as before the workhouse was erected. There may be valid reasons for this delay, but surely this ought not to be the case, now that the workhouse is open upwards a year. Other portions again, are either tastefully laid out with the skill of the gardener, or cultivated to advantage, so as to furnish supplies for the table, or appropriated to purposes for bleaching and drying, matters much required in such an establishment.

The workhouse was opened on September 1, 1842 and it is remarkable that the internal arrangements should have attained to so much perfection in little more than a year. Since the commencement, upwards of one thousand paupers have been admitted at different times. Nine births have taken place and 42 deaths, the deceased persons being all very old. The house at present contains 403 paupers, 93 of whom belong to the Downpatrick division.

We do not know that we have anything more to say respecting the workhouse. We cannot, however, conclude without expressing our conviction that the order, cleanliness, discipline, and general comfort exhibited are chiefly owing to the exertions of the master, Mr Flynn, and the matron, Miss McCreedy. The guardians, we conceive, were exceeding fortunate in their choice of officers. The internal administration is excellent.

Although the subject does not come exactly before us here, we may remark too that the Guardians seem to have done their duty well. There has been no trouble in this Union as there has been in other Unions. There has been no unpleasant quarrelling.

The collection of the rate has been a work of comparative ease and that is to be attributed to the good sense of the people The principal mistake committed was, we conceive, the burdening of the Downpatrick division with more than its fair share of the support of the paupers – a mistake, however, with which the present Guardians are not chargeable.

It is very hard that the rate now about to be struck will be double that levied upon any other division. We hope that, in future, the burdens on the divisions may be properly apportioned, and that in doubtful cases, paupers may charged to the Union at large.

We would recommend ratepayers to visit the workhouse and see how the funds they contribute are expended. When they witness the comforts it affords to those once destitute, they will be better prepared to decide as to the propriety of supporting.

The house is capable of containing 1,000 inmates, yet not many more than 400 are at present within its walls. We are satisfied that if its system of management were better known, prejudices would be removed and mendicancy would be suppressed while, as we have remarked already, pauperism would be sensibly and permanently diminished.

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