Workhouses

Workhouses were institutions established in the 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily in England, to provide shelter and work for the poor and unemployed. Aimed at reducing poverty, they offered basic accommodations in exchange for labor. Conditions were often harsh, with strict rules and little comfort, reflecting the belief that the poor should contribute to their upkeep. Workhouses became associated with stigma and suffering, symbolizing the struggles of the impoverished during that era. They gradually declined in use as social welfare reforms introduced more humane approaches to poverty and support for those in need.