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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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Workhouse
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INFOTEXT
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1992-09-02
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In the UK a former institution to house and
maintain people unable to earn their own
living. Groups of parishes in England
combined to build workhouses for the poor,
the aged, the disabled and orphaned children
from about 1815 until about 1930.
Sixteenth-century poor laws made parishes
responsible for helping the poor within their
boundaries. The 19th-century parish unions
found workhouses more cost-effective. An act
of Parliament 1834 improved supervision of
workhouses, where conditions were sometimes
harsh, and a new welfare legislation in the
early 20th century made them redundant.