A Victorian Workhouse – The Lives Of The Paupers: Mildenhall Suffolk (History of Mildenhall, Suffolk)
£1.90
But, instead of being a tedious diary of chronological events, Danny has managed to bring history alive by looking into the lives of certain inmates, and how they did, or did not survive. Sometimes the writing is gory . . . But It’s real! This book is a highly readable account and an intriguing but sometimes gruesome chronicle of life during Victorian times in Suffolk.”
Charlie Haylock, Voice Dialect Coach on “The Dig
“Pearson’s account of the lives of Mildenhall Workhouse residents has a well-structured narrative and conversational tone. Not just a chronicle of people and events, Pearson also injects a modern perspective and sense of humour into these stories. As a result, A Victorian Workhouse indirectly asks readers to consider how we can care for people today by laying bare the humanity of those who suffered through poverty in the Victoria era. This is an excellent and well-researched book for both casual readers and lovers of Victorian history.”
Devon Driver
100 Years on since the demolition of the grand Victorian mansion that was the Mildenhall Union Workhouse, this book tells the story of the “Paupers” unfortunate enough to have found themselves confined within it’s walls. The book takes you on a time travelling experience to meet former residents of this market town in rural Suffolk. Discovering grave robbery, disease, suicide, violence and misunderstood mental illness along the way. Discover their story.
Many individuals heartbreakingly fell into the poverty trap, created by the new poor law of 1834, desperate individuals who would never live outside the workhouse again. Any “Paupers” unfortunate enough to die within the workhouse, could find themselves sold to Cambridge University, their bodies used to train Medical students. Even in death the Paupers were owned by the workhouse. Read their story.
However there were inmates who walked proudly away from the institution and these stories can also be found in this book too. Such as the young Mildenhall lad, who had just a few years earlier walked the streets with his mum and sisters, dressed in rags without any food, toes poking out of his worn down shoes. This family tramped the streets looking for shelter on a freezing cold November evening. The same young man a decade later created a new life for himself, literally chasing away the Workhouse shadows in Sunny California, a real life Suffolk cowboy! Read his story.
Who ran the workhouse? Who were the Master and Matron of the Mildenhall Union? Who and what were the Board of Guardians? As well as the stories of the poor, this book reveals the lives of those tasked with caring for the poor. You will discover that the Master has some skeletons in his closet! Discover his story.
If you were to take a short stroll through Mildenhall you would soon discover many of the street names and buildings named after former wealthy residents. Names such as Hanmer, Bunbury, North, Aldrich, famous names not just in Mildenhall but throughout Britain. The poor walked the very same streets as theses famous families, leaving behind little evidence that they were ever here. These lives now carefully pieced back together through years of research using historical records and newspaper archives.
The poor were here too, read their story
Read more
Additional information
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| File size | 6079 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Screen Reader | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Not Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 194 pages |
by Rocky
I thought I knew about the workhouse, but this is providing so much more details. An excellent book.
by Paul R.
A really interesting read, as I grew up in Mildenhall I know every inch of it so well and it was fascinating to understand what went on in those times. Not only the streets and buildings but the social history, the concept of the workhouse, the treatment of the poor and the compassion (and lack of) that people had for those less fortunate. Strange to think it was only a few generations ago, lost of course for ever but seemingly so close.
Thoroughly recommended.
by Daxe
Really well researched book. Easy to understand with explanations as you go along. Bought the book on a whim and enjoyed it much more that I thought I would.
by Poldweia
Although not from Mildenhall, my family are from Suffolk and I have an interest in social history which is what attracted me to it. This is a fascinating book, well researched, clearly written, and engaging. It brings to life the characters of the past with compassion, and gives a voice to people who otherwise would be totally forgotten. I loved it.
by buzzsmith
Who would have thought that a book on the history of a Victorian workhouse could make such compelling reading? I only wish the history teaching at school had such impact. There are so many little side stories which add life and colour to the picture. This must have involved a monumental amount of perseverance to track down so much detail. I found it hard to put down and was fascinated to find out that before retiring I had spent over ten years working in a building at St Pancras, formerly the workhouse infirmary, where William Graham of Mildenhall ended his days.
by Dr M Morris
I really enjoyed reading this book as it gave the political history as background to the individual stories. Well researched and engaging. Has made me wonder if similar should and could been done to document the history of the workhouse in our town (still standing and recently closed and sold by nhs for flats ) lots of food for thought.
by John Parnham
This book is for anyone interested in the victorian period. Initially I found it difficult to get into this book but I persisted and I am glad that I did because it introduced characters that history would have forgotten and it was utterly fascinating.
by C. Ritchie
This should be used in schools to teach history. REAL history in all its horror for the majority of the populace of this “sceptred isle”. Life poor, nasty, brutal and short and still within reaching distance of some family legends. Lack of inoculation alone is a salutary lesson.