Workhouse Interesting Essay Topic Ideas

A workhouse was a place of residence specifically designed to provide accommodation and basic care to those who were unable to support themselves in the 19th century Often referred to as “poorhouses”, workhouses were run by a local authority or private charitable organization, and were intended as a last resort for those who could not be provided for by the local community. The basic concept of a workhouse was that those who were unable to support themselves would be provided with food, shelter and work in exchange for their labor. In order to encourage the able-bodied to work, a series of rules and regulations were enforced inside the workhouses, and unemployment was considered a moral failing. This concept of linking poverty with moral failure was formed during the industrial revolution and as a result, workhouses became a source of social stigma. Today, historians and academics have begun to research and explore the often neglected history of workhouses, and therefore provide us with the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the 19th century poor. Listed below are five of the many interesting essay topics that could be explored through the history of workhouses. 1. The Effects of Workhouse Rules and Regulations on the Inhabitants: This essay would aim to analyze the effects of the workhouse strict regulations on the people that lived there. It would also consider how these rules and regulations shaped the lives of the inhabitants, as well as their outlook on life. 2. Rise of the Poor Law Amendment Act: This essay would focus on the Poor Law Amendment Act, which was introduced in the mid-19th century and which effectively created the workhouse system. It would explore its impact on the poor, and how it changed the way in which poverty was viewed. 3. Reflections of the Social Stigma Attached to Workhouses: This essay would focus on the various ways in which workhouses were viewed by other members of the community and how this stigma has been represented in literature, film and television. It would also consider how this stigma has changed over time. 4. An Examination of the Relationship between Workhouses and Industrialisation: This essay would explore the link between workhouses and industrialisation in the 19th century, and consider how this affected the rate of poverty in the population. It would also consider the effect that this had on the individual, as well as the wider community. 5. Exploring the Role of Workhouse Overseers: This essay would explore the role of the workhouse overseers, examining their responsibilities and how they viewed their role within the workhouse system. It would also consider the role of the overseers in terms of their relationships with the workhouse inhabitants.