Letter from an anonymous pauper, or group of paupers criticizing actions of the workhouse master, 19 April 1851, Catalogue ref: MH12/11741
Poor Law Union: Blything
Union counties: Suffolk
Transcript
Honoured Gentlemen, I have taken the opportunity of sending these few lines to you Gentlemen [hoping] that you would consider … this union of Blything is governed by George [Furnell] … the late disturbance was on his [fault] and he was the whole cause of it by having two men out of the hall without their meal which caused the men to rise and another complaint is when anyone asks to see his wife to speak with her, on certain occasions, he wants to know what they have to say, which honoured gentlemen we think is an inhumane question to ask a man. When Sir John Walsham came round they endeavoured to hide it from the inmates of the house for fear they should say anything to him to let him know of their own gratefulness and the places which the inmates have to go in are in such filthy condition [that] it is not fit for any person to keep clean …