As it was winter, fires were kept in every part of the building,
from morning till night; and all the rooms were lighted up till
nine o'clock in the evening. Every room and every stair-case was
neatly swept and cleaned twice a day; one early in the morning,
before the people were assembled, and once while they were at
dinner.--Care was taken, by placing ventilators, and occasionally
opening the windows, to keep the air of the rooms perfectly
sweet, and free from all disagreeable smells; and the rooms
themselves were not only neatly white-washed and fitted up, and
arranged in every respect with elegance, but care was taken to
clean the windows very often;--to clean the courtyard every day;--
and even to clear away the rubbish from the street in front of
the building, to a considerable distance on every side.
Those who frequented this establishment were expected to arrive
at the fixed hour in the morning, which hour varied according to
the season of the year; if they came too late, they were gently
reprimanded; and if they persisted in being tardy, without being
able to give a sufficient excuse for not coming sooner, they were
punished by being deprived of their dinner, which otherwise they
received every day gratis.
At the hour of dinner, a large bell was rung in the court, when
those at work in the different parts of the building repaired to
the dining-hall; where they found a wholesome and nourishing
repast; consisting of about A POUND AND A QUARTER, Avoirdupois
weight, of a very rich soup of peas and barley, mixed with
cuttings of fine white bread; and a piece of excellent rye bread,
weighing SEVERN OUNCES; which last they commonly put in their
pockets, and carried home for their supper. Children were allowed
the same portion as grown persons; and a mother, who had one or
more young children, was allowed a portion for each of them.
Those who, from sickness, or other bodily infirmities, were not
able to come to the work-house;--as also those who, on account of
young children they had to nurse, or sick persons to take care
of, found it more convenient to work at their own lodgings,
(and of these there were many,) were not on that account deprived
of their dinners. Upon representing their cases to the committee,
tickets were granted them, upon which they were authorized to
receive from the public kitchen, daily, the number of portions
specified in the ticket; and these they might send for by a child,
or by any other person they thought proper to employ; it was
necessary, however that the ticket should always be produced,
otherwise the portions were not delivered. This precaution was
necessary, to prevent abuses on the part of the poor.
Many other precautions were taken to prevent frauds on the part
of those employed in the kitchen, and in the various other
offices and departments concerned in feeding the poor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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