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Bone crushing equipment
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Bone crushing equipment
Bone-crushing equipment of the type used in workhouses in the early nineteenth century. The crushed bones were used as fertilizer. At the Andover workhouse it was reported that the inmates were receiving such meagre rations that they resorted to eating the tiny scraps of marrow and gristle attached to the bones they were crushing. The resultant scandal led to the matter being raised in Parliament and an inquiry. In November 1845 the use of bone-crushing was forbidden. Date: 1840s
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Media ID 14241936
© Mary Evans/Peter Higginbotham Collection
Andover Bone Bones Crushing Scandal Workhouse Workhouses Fertilizer
EDITORS COMMENTS
This haunting image depicts bone-crushing equipment used in workhouses during the early nineteenth century. Workhouses, established as a means of providing relief for the destitute and able-bodied poor, were notorious for their harsh living conditions. In the case of Andover Workhouse, located in Hampshire, England, inmates were reportedly subjected to meagre rations that left them resorting to eating the tiny scraps of marrow and gristle attached to the bones they were crushing for fertilizer. The gruesome practice came to light in 1845, resulting in a public scandal that led to the matter being raised in Parliament and an inquiry. The use of bone-crushing in workhouses was a common yet disturbing practice during this era, with the crushed bones being sold as fertilizer to farmers. However, the revelation of the inhumane conditions under which the bones were produced sparked widespread outrage and calls for reform. The image, taken in the 1840s, provides a chilling reminder of the harsh realities faced by the poor in workhouses during this period. The bone-crushing equipment, with its rusted metal and worn-down mechanisms, stands as a testament to the deplorable conditions that existed in these institutions. The image also serves as a stark reminder of the historical importance of social reforms and the ongoing struggle for human dignity and rights.
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