Now that I believe

I did a huge amount of research on Workhouses for my family history thing, because one of my lot on my real mother's side - way back - ended up in one. His father had just died, and all his siblings jiggered off to America leaving him with a foundry to run all on his own.........he took to the bottle in a big way(probably why I couldn't find him on the last census before his death; he would have been upside down in a ditch somewhere I expect) and eventually ended up in the Workhouse where he died of the DTs.

Lynne's gone quite a way back on my family history and so far not found anything like that, which actually surprised me to be honest.

Ah, sad What's the DT's?

DTs stands for Delirium Tremens which is what you can get when severely alcoholic - the first symptom is shaking I believe! Anyway, he was not going to give up the drink it seems and that was that.

TW, what is really surprising to me is the amount of times people from rich or well to do families ended up in a Workhouse. Yes, there were obviously the destitute and ill, or the poor women who had illegitimate children etc., but anyone who had a rotten period in their life could spend time in there.

You may not necessarily discover that someone spent time in a workhouse unless the birth, or more importantly sometimes, death certificate show this to be the case. Sometimes the only way to find out is to find out if the relevant county records office have any surviving documents or records - they are often happy to have a little look for you.

Just been watching about Brian Cox's ancestor who was in and out for 14 years due to an injury

Very interesting stuff. For all that people moan these days about the nanny state and the welfare state and their 'benefits' and the state of the NHS and so on - and the cries of those who yearn to return too what is often called the 'good old days' the reality would be no clawback easily from poverty - killer smogs - no health service or free doctors - take your pension books away from you and shove your grandchildren up chimneys and down mines to work.

Were you able to go back very far in your research Bitkin?

Sorry but even when your being serious, you have me in stitches!!

I must try harder to project my more scholarly and sombre side!

*just get my face straight first!

All this talk of workhouses reminds me of one of my dad's christmas ditties

T'was Christmas day in the work house
The snow was falling fast
We don't want your Christmas pudding
Stick it up your @***