The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-26 00:00:00

ALLEGED ILL-TREATMENT OF THE
POOR IN LAMBETH WORKHOUSE.

A public meeting of the ratepayers and inhabitants of
the parish of Lambeth was held yesterday evening at
Keriningtoli-hall, adjoining the Licensed Victuallers'
School, for the purpose of taking into consideration
certain disclosures which had been made relative to the
treatment of the paupers in Lambeth Workhouse. The
proceedings seemed to excite a very deep interest
among thu,e present ; Mr. Offord took the chair.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, observed
that the meeting was no doubt aware of the object for
which they were assembled. The committee who had
been instrumental in calling them together bad for some
time past heard various statements made by the paupers
relative to their treatment in the workhouse. They
were of course unable to act on such es parte statements,
and this matter would never have been agitated had it
not been for the disclosures made. by Mr. Hyde, late
assistant surgeon in the workhouse.
Mr. Hyde then read from a written list a number of
cases of cruelty, of which the following are the chief :
A man named Ayres, who was suffering from bronchitis,
was called a "scheming humbug" for going into the in-
firmary, and when he was canvalescent, he was set to
pick oakum, although he could hardly breathe. Ray-
ner used very foul language with respect to this unfortu-
nate creature, and when he heard of the man's death,
be said, "A good job too, and if 100 more of the
wretches would go the same way." (Sensation.) John
Goldsmith, an old man, suffering from pthisis, was set
to work at painting, and his death, as he himself de-
clared, was thus hastened. Ayres, too, complained bit-
terly of Rayner's cruelty. The Sunday liberty of the
poor had been unnecessarily stopped, and a very consi-
derable expense thus entailed upon the parish, The
death of an old man named Edney was directly caused
by it ; but no inquest was held on him, although the
death was very sudden. (Oh.) The liberty of a man
named John Henry Miller was stopped for being found
cTigitnhafation.) crust oTfhbirsemadan binehcm
his pocket
ill
lnconsequence ti (Expreio
oo ff
in-
his
being deprived of his liberty, and died. Another old man
was deprived of his liberty for having his
spectacles and
an old horn spoon he had made himself in his pocket.
(Shame). Rayner searched him, and said he had "a
cartload of things in his pocket !" • An old teapot, which
was very much prized by an old woman, was needlessly
destroyed before her face. The poor were turned down
to breakfast at six o'clock, and were not allowed to have
any if they were a minute late. (Shame). Between 80 and
90 of the aged paupers were unnecessarily confined in an
ill ventilated ward from nine to twelve and from two to
five in the day, and the nurse was reprimanded by the
matron for allowing two of them to stand outside on
the steps to get a little fresh air. An imbecile girl
named Mary Males was confined all night in a cell
for running about 'the yard, and the next morning
confined in the dead-house with four or five dead bodies
close to her. The girl became frantic with terror
at night, and in endeavouring to -get through the
window broke several panes. She was taken before
a magistrate for it, Rayner saying, "I would hang her
if I could." She was confined for 24 hours, on bread
I and water, and without a bed for tying her apron-
strings behind her instead of before her. (Hear.) The
master bad compelled her to sign a written paper, deny-
ing that she had been subjected to such treatment. The
girl said that she had no alternative but to do so, and
this she would publicly state. (Shame.) There were
10 suits of clothes, which were worn indiscriminately by
i.lljthe paupers who went out, and they were often damp
and filthy ; but an old man's liberty was stopped because
he refused to wear one of these suits. An old man,
named Edward Palmer, had been specially persecuted
for a similtz refusal, but he would best tell his own tale.
Edward Palmer, the man alluded to, here came for.
ward. He said that he had been a ratepayer in the
parish for 30 years, and had served the office of surveyor
of the highways. Circumstances had compelled him t.
go into the workhouse, and there he had been a
marked man for the last five months. He was em-
ployed in the workhouse as a schoolmaster, and be-
sides this function he was set to scour bed-ticks, and
carry coals, paint, ito. He could confirm all that
Mr. Hyde had stated. It was no exaggeration at
all. This unfortunate person detailed a series et
petty persecutions to which he had been subjected by
Rayner. His statement was made in terse and well-
chosen language, and with the manner and bearing of
one who had moved in a superior condition of life. It
svq.s received by the crowded hall in perfect silence,
which was only occasionally broken by an expression of
indignation ; and the admission that Rayner's conduct
had on one occasion caused him to speak warmly in re-
monstrance was hailed with loud cheers, as was also the
remark that the 7 days' imprisonment to which he had
been subjected for it were far better for him than work-
house fare.

Mr. BEARD, a ratepayer, who had gone over the
workhouse, detailed ,the results of his visits. He
found the dormitories very clean and neat ; but he
found that, contrary to the poor law, all the aged
couples were separated. Mr. Hyde was invariably
mentioned by the paupers in high terms of praise, but
they complained bitterly of the treatment they received
i❑ the workhouse. He found a whole ward full of
old men, who had had no dinner at half-past two in the
day. The soup had been served, but they could not
use it, as it was filled with oil, and produce 4 diarrhoea.
Tney complained that the poor-law allowance was not
fairly dealt out, but was greatly deficient in quantity.
(Shaine.) Some complained of the removal of little arti-
cles of property which they brought in—such as combs,
pairs of drawers, &c. In the insane ward he found that
tnere too the soup was found uneatable, and had not
been touched. (Cries of "shame.") It appeared to
him that the women in the ward were in bodily fear of
the supervisor (a female) ; and he had occasion to repri-
mand the woman for her conduct to one of the pau-
pers while he was there. In the lying-in ward he
found complaints of insufficient arid in nutritious diet.
No beer was allowed to them except during the
ninth of their confinement. Here, too, the
soup had been refused. He inquired of the cook
why the soup was not eaten, and he replied that he was
not aware of the fact. He further stated that the soup
never came back to him, but went to the master.
(`• Oh, oh," and laughter.) The man said he had no
fault to find with the meat, but he could not make good
soup without vegetables. (Hear, hear.) The bakehouse
was in good order, and the bread good.
This statement was confirmed by other ratepayers
amidst the loud expressions of indignation of the meeting.
Two resolutions were then adopted, pledging the meet-
ing to prosecute the inquiry to the utmost; and further
to call a general parish meeting on the subject.
The assembly then dispersed.