Whether it was called “the bastille”, the “spike”, or simply “the house”, the Victorian workhouse was the cause of dread and shame for thousands of poverty-stricken men, women and children. For them the workhouse was the last resort as it was a terrible and degrading place to stay. This book looks at the principles that lay behind the New Poor Law of 1834, design and construction of the workhouse, lives of those entering them, routine of the workhouse, and more. The numerous vintage black and white photos and diagrams throughout also help paint the bleak story of the workhouse. This captivating look back into history will have you riveted.