It
was a lofty and spacious building with
stone dressing in the Gothic style and
space for sixty inmates. In 1848 there
was a slump in the town, which caused
as many as one third of Leicester's
population of of 68,000 to be unemployed.
This caused problems at the workhouse.
As there were many more people seeking
help than there were places available
so a system of 'out-work' was established.
This consisted mainly of stone-breaking,
very hard work, especially for those
men who had not been used to such strenuous
labour. They had to do it, however,
for if they did not, they got no financial
help. |
