The Victorian workhouse still looms large in the imagination as a place of dread. This talk will explore actual conditions inside the workhouse and instances when paupers rebelled, such as Susan Gilliver, who was recorded as ‘refusing to do any kind of work and screaming murder the whole morning, threatening to smash the windows and after throwing two stone[s] through the kitchen windows got over the wall and absconded with the House clothing’. Paupers also regularly swore, assaulted workhouse staff, refused to say prayers, and, when allowed out, returned drunk. Such behaviour demonstrates that discipline was an endemic problem in all workhouses. 

Following the presentation from Dr Williams, there will be an opportunity to ask her questions.