The Workhouse | One Step Up From Prison?

The Workhouse | One Step Up From Prison?

Author: National Trust June 13, 2024 Duration: 26:09

If you didn’t have money and a way to support yourself and your family in the 1800s you might be forced to go into the workhouse. Find out what life was really like for the men, women and children who ended up there. 


Heading into the Workhouse, even if modern times, feels ominous and foreboding. Walk alongside Curator James Grasby as he enters The Workhouse and Infirmary in Southwell and takes on the role of an inmate in 1871. He meets the tyrannical Master of the house and discovers what work he would have done, and whether he made it out alive.

[Ad from our sponsor] This podcast episode is sponsored by family history website Findmypast. What was life like for domestic servants, workers and local communities at our most fascinating heritage sites? Discover how people from all walks of life lived and worked, and who with, in hundreds of census records, for free, by signing up with Findmypast. And find out about the free trial that you could use to explore your family history. See where the past takes you at: findmypast.co.uk/national-trust

Production
Host: James Grasby
Producer: Claire Hickinbotham
Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez

Discover more

Find out more about the history of The Workhouse and Infirmary www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/the-workhouse-and-infirmary  

Learn about the collections that tell the stories pf people who lived and worked at The Workhouse and Infirmary 
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/the-workhouse-and-infirmary/collections-at-the-workhouse-and-firbeck-infirmary  

There’s a story waiting in every landscape, a secret history woven into the hedgerows and hidden in the soil. Wild Tales | Nature Podcast, brought to you by the National Trust, goes beyond the guidebook to find those narratives. Each episode is a quiet exploration of the intricate connections between the natural world and our own place within it. You might find yourself listening to the surprising biography of a centuries-old oak tree, learning how coastal erosion reveals forgotten chapters of human history, or understanding the subtle language of birdsong at dawn. This isn’t just a catalog of facts; it’s an immersive audio experience that considers the science of a changing ecosystem alongside the cultural traditions it sustains. We visit specific places-ancient woodlands, rugged coastlines, and working farms-to hear directly from the people who know them best: rangers, historians, ecologists, and local communities. The result is a thoughtful collection of stories that change how you see the world outside your window. Tune into this podcast for a deeper sense of connection, a moment of calm reflection, and a renewed appreciation for the wild and historic places that shape our shared story.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 193

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast
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