The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-10 00:00:00

TREATMENT OF AGED PAUPERS

IN BARROW WORKHOUSE.
The following are extracts from correspondence, &c.,
just laid before the Home of Commons, relative to the
inquiry into the treatment of aged paupers in the Bar-

row workhouse.—
Poor-law Commission Office, Somerset House,
May 22, 1846.
Sir—l am directed by the Poor-law Commissioners to
state, that they have had under their consideration the
report of their assistant commisssoner, Mr. Weale, who
was instructed by the Commissioners to inquire into the
case of James Jarvis, late an inmate upon the Barrow-
upon-Soar Union Workhouse.
It appears that on the 17th day of March last, the
master of the workhouse reported to the board of guar-
dians that on that, and on the previous day, James
Jarvis, aged seventy-six years, refused to perform a task
of work, in company with some other of the aged men
who were required to pump water fur the use of the
workhouse establishment.
It appears that on the occasion Jarvis was brought
before the guardians, who reasoned with him on his im-
proper conduct, but that, being unable to prevail on him
to perform the work required of him, the guardians
made the following order;—
"Ordered that James Jarvis shall obey the master's
directions to pump, as far as he is able, unless the
medical officer directs to the contrary ; and that if he
refuses, to be placed upon refractory dirt."
The master subsequently sent fur the medical officer,
and he pronounced it to be his opinion that Jarvis was
quite equal to do the work which he was set to perform.
The master then called upon Jarvis to proceed, and to
employ himself on the task assigned to him ; the man
refused, and persisted in his refusal, notwithstanding the
remonstrances and representations of the master and
ma:ron, who endeavoured, but in vain, to prevail upon
bun to comply with the directions which had been given.
Finding that Jarvis was determined not to work as
required, the master, as he states, " put him on spare
diet ;" that is to say, he confined him to an allowance of
half-a-pound of bread for breakfast, the same quantity
for tinnier, and the same quantity for supper ; and on
this diet James Jarvis was kept by the master, from
Tuesday evening, the 17th of March, until the following
Thursday, the 26th of March, on which day Jarvis was
committed by the justices to the House of Correction.
The Commissioners desire to point out to the guar •
dians that the punishment inflicted upon James Jarvis
*as not authorised by the workhouse rules.
It further appears that the provisions conta'ned in the
41st Article were not complied with in Jarvis's case,
that article directing that no pauper who may have been
under medical care, or who may have been entered in
the medical weekly return as sick or infirm, at any time
in the course of the seven days neat preceding the day
of the commission of the offence, or who may be reason-
ably supposed to be under twelve or above sixty years of
age, or who may be pronounced by the medical officer
for the workhouse to be pregnant, or who may be suck-
ling a child, shall be punished by alteration of diet or by
confinement, unless the medical officer shall have pre-
viously certified in writing that no injury to the health
of such pauper is reasonably to be apprehended from the
proposed punishment ; and any modification, diminish-
ing such punishment, which the medical officer for the
workhouse may suggest, shall be adopted by the master.
The Commissioners think it probable that the master
of the workhouse misunderstood the order of the board
of guardians, and thought that if Jarvis refused to
work, it was the intention of the guardians that he
should be kept upon " refractory diet" so long as he
continued to refuse.
But the Commissioners, nevertheless, consider that
this error on the part of the master was inexcusable ;
he ought to have been guided by the regulations, which
are clear and precise, and to which he should have re-
ferred, had he entertained any doubt of the legality of
the punishment which he inflicted upon James Jarvis.
Looking to the whole of the circumstances, and to the
very serious violation of the regulations which the mas-
ter has committed, the Commissioners do not see how
the care of the inmates of the workhouse, and the super-
intendence of the establishment, can be properly allowed
to remaia any longer in the hands of Mr. Derry ; and
they therefore request that he will tender his resignation
to the board of guardians.

(Signed) GEORGE COODE, Assistant-Secretary.
The clerk to the board of guardians of the Barrow-upon-
Soar Union, Barrow-upon-Soar.
Barrow-upon-Soar Union, Barrow-upon-Soar.
May 27, 1846.
Gentlemen,—l beg leave to acknowledge the receipt
of your letter of the 22d instant, No. 6902 146; and to
state that the contents thereof was duly communicated
to Mr. Joshua Derry, the master of the workhouse, but
that he has not as yet tended his resignation to the
board of guardians.
The letter was also read at the meeting of the board
of guardians, and the opinion of the board was expressed
thereon, as follows:
The clerk having read the letter from the Poor-law
Commissioners respecting the master of the workhouse,
and the guardians having taken the same into considera-
tion, were unanimously of opinion, that the single
instance of misconstruction of the rules, unattended by

any bad consequence to the pauper, does not call for so
severe a punishment as the resignation of the master
(followed as it would necessarily be by that of the matron
his wife), who have been distinguished, during 15 years'
service, for their humanity, and their uniform attention
to the duties of their office.—l am, &e.,

THOMAS FEWKES,
Clerk to the Guardians.
The Poor-law Commissioners.
Poor-law Commissikn-office, Somerset House,
June 5, 1846.
Sir,—The Commissioners desire to state that the
matter has received their careful consideration; under
all the circumstances of the case the Commissioners
regret that they cannot consent to Mr. Derry retaining
his office of master of the Barrow-upon-Soar Union
Workticuse.—Signed by order of the Board.
(Signed) E. CHADWICK.
To Mr. Thomas Fewkes.

(Signed)

Gentlemen,—ln rße aprl
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tow- u)p.oounr- SI oe
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roft
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s t
No. 7,456 146, I beg leave to inform you that the con-
tents thereof was duly communicated to the master of
the woikhouse, and it was read to the board of guardians,
when they directed the following to be entered on the
minutes:—
" A letter from the Poor-law Commissioners to the
clerk having been read, it was resolved in compliance
therewith. The board, though they extremely regret
the necessity for such a course, but, under all the cir-
cumstances, recommend the master and the matron to
resign their offices; but they earnestly request that a
sufficient notice of removal may be given them, as a
testimony in favour of their long-tried meritorious
services."
The above resolution was read to the master of the
workhouse, and he tendered his resignation of their
offices.
The guardians are therefore desirous of knowing how
long they may continue to perform the duties of their
office, as their resignation has been accepted.
(Signed) THOMAS FE WKES.
To the Poor Law Commissioners.
Poor Law Commission-office, Somerset House,
June 18, 1846.
Sir,—th reply am to state, that the Commissioners
can only consent to the master and matron retaining
their offices for such a reasonable time as will enable
the guardians to elect fit persons as their successors.
I am, &c.,
(Signed) E. CHADWICK.
To Mr. Thomas Fewkes.

VENTILATION OF THE NEW HOSPITAL AT BROMP-
TON.—The system adopted by Dr. Arnott, in conjunction
with the designs of Frederick J. Francis, Esq., the architect,
bids fair to assist greatly the efforts of medical science; each
compartment or room is so arranged, that the poor con-
sumptive sufferer will be enabled to breathe an atmosphere
most suitable to the stage of the malady. The wards are
very lofty and commodious, and the beauty of the site has
in itself a health-breathing influence. The finishing of the
building, for the reception of the patients from Chelsea, is
progressing as rapidly as the funds will permit. The grounds
surrounding the edifice are laid out very tastefully, and
when the eastern wing and the remaining portion of the
centre is erected, accommodation will be effected for upwards
of 200 patients.
AWFUL THUNDER STORM—MELANCHOLY EVENT.—
On Sunday last, between nine and ten o'clock its the fore-
noon, this town and neighbourhood were visited by a very
heavy storm of thunder and lightning, accompanied by
rain. At Stoke St. Mary the electric fluid struck a poplar,
containing nearly three tons of timber, in a field belonging to
Mrs. Jemitna Mayne, and shivered it into fragments, scat-
tering several heavy portions of it to the distance of fifty
yards. At Galmington a large oak was struck down by
lightning. At Wellington, we lament to state, the Indepen-
dent Meeting School was much injured by the storm, and a
fine boy, fourteen years old, was killed on the spot, and four
other boys sitting near him were stuck off their seats and se-
riously injured. The escape of the other children was most
providential. Several persons were knocked down in their
houses and in the streets, and the pillar on the Blackdown-
hill, erected to commemorate the battle of Waterloo, was
considerably shattered, and large masses of stone fell from it.
n ' —TauntoCourier.
FOURTEEN HOUSES BURNED DOWN.—A dreadful
fire broke out on Saturday afternoon in the village of Ted-
dington, in Bedfordshire, about two miles distant from
Woburn Abbey, which in a short time consumed no fewer
than fourteen dwelling-houses, besides other buildings of
much value. It appears the flames were first seen issuing
from a cluster of barns at the back of Dunstable-street, and
on inquiry it was found to have originated by some children
kindling a bonfire in one of them that was empty, and which
being excessively dry, burnt with great rapidity. The wind
blowing a brisk breeze from the westward, soon wafted the
flames in the direction of the houses belonging to Mr. King,
Mr. Horn, and others, in Dunstable-street, which eventually
caught, and all attempts to check its progress proved abor-
tive. Most of the adjacent houses, and those on the oppo-
site side, being thatched, the inhabitants set to work vigor-
ously to strip those nearest to the fire. In this they par-
tially failed, for the destructive element extended on all
sides, and within an hour after its outbreak nine houses were
levelled to the ground. So fearful was it at one time, that
the lower end of the village was in the most imminent dan-
ger of being destroyed. Fortunately, the engines came up at
the time, and being well supplied with water, were brought
to bear in the proper quarter, and with desired effect. In all
fourteen houses were destroyed, and several others were
greatly injured. The buildings were insured, but the occu-
pants are severe sufferers, none of them being insured. They
are chiefly poor labouring families, and are in consequence
thrown into the greatest distress. One poor woman, who was
in the last stage of consumption, died while being removed in
the height of the fire to a place of safety. On searching the
ruins on the morning after, the remains of a youth ten years
of age were discovered burned almost to a cinder. It has been
ascertained that he is the son of a woman named Burrows,
and the boy who made the bonfire in the barn. It was sup-
posed he was unable to find the door of the barn to escape, on
account of the thickness of the smoke, and thus lost his life.
An inquest was held yesterday on the body, and a verdict of
"Accidental death" returned.
Lieut.-General Sir Edward Kerrison and Lady Kerri-
son, returned on Wednesday evening from Derbyshire,
and leave town to-clay for Oakley Park, Suffolk.