hing like a rammer? Yes9837Had you no other employment at all? No, not while I was there, but breaking the bones9838What sort of bones did they appear to be? All sorts9839During the time you were so employed, did you ever see any of the men gnaw anything or eat anything from those bones? I have seen them eat marrow out of the bones9840You were not examined before Mr Parker, the Assistant Commissioner?No9841Have you often seen them eat the marrow? I have9842Did they state why they did it? I really believe they were very hungry9843Did you yourself feel extremely hungry at that time? I did, but my stomach would not take it.9844You could not swallow the marrow? No9845Did you see any of the men gnaw the meat from the bones? Yes9846Did they use to steal the bones and hid them away? Yes9847Have you seen them have a scramble and quarrel amongst the bones? I do not know that I have seen them scramble, but I have seen them hide them.9848And when a fresh set of bones came in, did they keep a sharp look-out for the best? Yes9849Was that a regular thing? While I was there.In response to these scandals the government introduced stricter rules for those who ran the workhouses and they also set up a system of regular inspections. However, inmates were still at the mercy of unscrupulous masters and matrons who treated the poor with contempt and abused the rules.Workhouses were hated universally by the poor because Conditions inside the workhouse were deliberately harsh, so that only those who desperately needed help would ask for it. Families were split up and housed in different parts of the workhouse. The poor were made to wear a uniform and the diet was monotonous. There were also strict rules and regulations to follow. Inmates, male and female, young and old were made to work hard, often doing unpleasant jobs such as picking oakum or breaking stones. Children also found themselves hired out to work in factories or mines. homes were broken up a...
