The Workhouse remained a place of dread to many of the poor of Britain throughout the Victorian period and on into the first half of the 2th century.

On Saturday the 20th of January, 1894, The Hampstead & Highgate Express published the following article which shows that the destitute poor had plenty of reason to fear a spell in the Workhouse:-

DEATH IN THE WORKHOUSE

On Saturday Dr. G. Danford Thomas held an inquiry at the Hampstead Dispensary Hall into the circumstances attending the death of an inmate of the Hampstead Workhouse, named James Webb, aged seventy-two.

The Hampstead Board of Guardians was represented by Mr. Herbert Bridger, solicitor, and Mr. Joseph King, member of the Board, was also present.

THE WIFE’S EVIDENCE

Jane Webb, the widow, deposed that she lived with her daughter in Lawn-road.

Her husband had been a inmate of the Workhouse for two years.

He always complained of the cold, and said that he missed his fire at the Workhouse.

THE SON-IN-LAW’S TESTIMONY

Edward Aedy, son-in-law of the deceased, deposed that he first heard of the death whilst he was in a street in the town.

He called at the Workhouse, and found that the information was true.

He wanted to know how it was that the deceased was found dead at half-past four on Monday morning, that nothing was heard of the occurrence until nine o’clock, and that no doctor was sent for until half-past four in the afternoon.

THE MASTER’S EVIDENCE

The master of the Workhouse, Hr. H. C. Russell, deposed that at nine o’clock on Monday morning he heard that Webb had been found dead in a lavatory by another inmate at a quarter to five.

The occurrence was reported at the time to the porter, but the witness did not hear of it until nine o’clock. He then sent for the doctor, and also sent a letter to the relations of Webb, informing them of his death, but, as they had lately removed to another address, the letter did not reach them.

There was no heating apparatus in the bedrooms.

The coroner remarked that the London County Council had a heating apparatus in their common lodging-house. It seemed to be great anomaly that there should be fires in the day-room, and then that the old people should be sent to cold bedrooms.

Mr. Russell said that each inmate had three blankets on his bed; there was a heating apparatus in the infirmary, but none in the old men’s dormitories.

INMATE JAMES HILL’S EVIDENCE

James Hill, an inmate of the Workhouse, deposed that he found Webb dead in the lavatory, with his head on the window ledge.

He was fully dressed and in a standing position.

The witness reported the occurrence to the porter and nurse.

The Witness thought that Webb had not been dead long when he found him.

TESTIMONY OF THE NURSE

Mary Oliver, a trained nurse, said that she went to the deceased when informed by Hill that he had found him as described. He was dead, but warm.

The witness reported the occurrence to the superintendent nurse.

THE DOCTOR’S EVIDENCE

Dr. J. Roberson Day deposed that he was acting as locum tenens for Dr. Cook, who was ill.

The witness was away at Northampton when sent for, and did not return home until three o’clock in the afternoon.

He then went up to the Workhouse at once.

He had made an examination of the body and found that death was due to syncope.

VARIOUS QUESTIONS ASKED

The coroner said that during the recent cold weather a number of people had died in the same way.

Another relative asked how it was that the body of the deceased was not seen by the doctor until after four o’clock, and also how it was that the master had refused to allow a daughter of the deceased to see the body when she called at the Workhouse shortly before four o’clock.

The master of the Workhouse said that he was expecting the doctor, and thought that it would be better not to allow anyone see the body until the doctor had examined it.

THE VERDICT

A verdict of Death from natural causes was returned, and the coroner said that it would have been better had a doctor seen the body at once.