Cost of care: one month’s spending on the poor at the workhouse
K.R. GREGRORY looks at the accounts of Halesowen Workhouse for 1749
THE workhouse guardians usually comprised a body selected from the middle classes. They, in turn, appointed a workhouse master who was allowed a small sum for each inmate per week. If the master was an unscrupulous villain, he sought to make as much profit out of this pittance as was possible. This ensured hard work and a starvation diet for the inmates.
Outside relief was given to those who, although temporarily impoverished, had prospect of future self-support but stringent conditions were attached to any relief given. Recipients were forbidden to keep a dog because it was argued, if there were sufficient household scraps left over to feed the animal no relief was necessary.
In the year 1730 Sir Thomas Lyttelton presented the town of Halesowen with a workhouse. Over the door was the following inscription:
The ground on which this building was erected: the garden thereunto belonging: together with these houses next adjoining were given by Sir Thomas Lyttelton, Bart: to the parish of Halesowen for the accommodation of the poor: in the year of our
lord MDCCXXX.
A few of the bills for supplies sent to the workhouse are of interest, in as much as they give the cost of items over 200 years ago.
MDCCXXXXIX [1749] March 4: Jno. Eginton for 22lb of beef at 1¾d – 3s. 2½d. March 4: to ditto for 1lb of suet – 2d. March 6: 9oz of Tob[acco] – 6¾d. March 6: 10lb of cheese at 2¾d per lb – 2s. 3½d, March 6: 2lb of butter – 1s. 2d. March 7: Wm Willets for 15 new pales for work and nails – 1s. 3d.
March 9: 10lb of cheese 2¾ per lb – 2s. 3½d.
March 9: Dr Hinchley for half a lb of honey – 3d. March 10: 1lb sugar for ye sick – 4d. March 10: a breast of mutton for ye sick – 6d. March 10: Jno Harris for hasp and staples for mending ye dung fork – 4d. March 11: Jnr Eginton for 14lb at 1¾d per lb – 2s. 0½d. March 11: to ditto for a leg of mutton for ye sick 6lb – 1s. March 11: Jno Field for a 3d loaf fvor ye sick – 3d. March 11: wollen yarn to foot their stockings – 6d. March 11: barm – 2d. March 13: 3lb of salt 3d barm 4d – 7d. March 13: 9oz of tob – 6¾d. March 13: 2lb of butter – 1s 1d. March 13: Martha Perks for baking – 3d. March 13: half a peck oatmeal – 5d. March 14: 2lb of treacle – 4d. March 14: mending Beardsley shoe – 1d. March 14: Grains – 1d. March 15: 1lb of soap – 6d. March 15: grains 1d, to Mary Haughferd for washing 6d – 7d. March 15: 1lb of candles – 5½d. March 15: a breast of mutton for ye sick – 4½d. March 16: 9lb and a half of cheese at 2¾d per lb – 2s. 2¼d. March 16: Thos Alderthe for 1600 & half coals – 5s. 6d. March 17: half a lb of hops 4d, barm 2d – 6d. March 17: a peck of pottaters – 5d. March 18: 10lb of cheese at 2s. 3½d – 2s. 3½d. March 18: half a lb of sugar – 2d. March 18: paid 4d – 4d. March 20: 9oz of tob – 6¾d. March 20: 2lb of butter – 1s. 1d. March 20: half lb of soap – 3d. March 20: 2 stone and a half of grains – 5d. March 23: 9lb and a half of cheese at 2¾d – 2s 2d. March 23: 6lb and a half of salt – 6d. March 23: 2 quarts of barm – 4d. March 24: 2lb of treacle 2d, 2 bessoms 2d – 6d. March 24: half a peck of oatmeal – 5d. March 25: Jno Eginton for 24lb and a half of beef at 2d per lb – 4s. 1d. March 25: for rag mop – 2d. March 25: to Jn Field – 1d. March 26: 10lb of cheese at 2¾d per lb – 2s. 3½d. March 27: 9oz of tob – 6¾d. March 27: 2lb of butter – 1s. 1d. March 28: 1lb of herbs for Samll Haris leg – 2d. Received March 28, 1749 of Mr Bissel the contents of this bill in full by me John Hipkis – £2 11s. 6¾d.