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Holborn Union Workhouse Farm and Gas Works, Mitcham
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Holborn Union Workhouse Farm and Gas Works, Mitcham
The workhouse farm located near the Holborn Union workhouse, Mitcham, Surrey. Pigs feed from troughs while workhouse inmates stand nearby. A gasometer is visible at the left. The farm used inmate labour to provide products such as milk and bacon for workhouse use. It also incorporated a gas works which generated gas for the workhouse
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Media ID 4464881
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10416094
1896 Bacon Conditions Employment Energy Fuel Gasometer Heating Holborn Homeless Homelessness Inmate Inmates Labour Milk Mitcham Pigs Poverty Products Skills Surrey Troughs Workhouse Workhouses
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the stark reality of life in a 19th century workhouse, specifically the Holborn Union Workhouse in Mitcham, Surrey. The image shows a scene at the workhouse farm, where inmates stand nearby as pigs feed from troughs. The farm, which was run by the workhouse, provided essential products such as milk and bacon for the workhouse community. In the background, a gasometer from the adjacent gas works is visible, generating gas for heating and cooking within the workhouse. The workhouse system, a product of the English Poor Laws, was designed to provide shelter, food, and some basic care for the homeless, the destitute, and the unemployed. However, the conditions within these institutions were often harsh and inhumane. Inmates were expected to work, and the farm provided an opportunity for them to learn valuable skills in agriculture and animal husbandry. The photograph, taken in the late 1890s, offers a glimpse into the past, revealing the interconnectedness of various aspects of workhouse life. The pigs were not only a source of food but also a means of providing employment and training for the inmates. The gas works, meanwhile, ensured that the workhouse was self-sufficient in terms of energy, reducing the need for external resources. Despite the challenging circumstances, the scene in this photograph also speaks to the resilience and determination of those who lived in the workhouse. The inmates, dressed in their work clothes, stand with purpose as they oversee the pigs, demonstrating their ability to adapt and contribute to the community in their own way. This image serves as a poignant reminder of the historical context of poverty and homelessness in 19th century England and the innovative ways in which institutions like the workhouse sought to address these issues.
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