Brabazon scheme

The Brabazon scheme was initiated in 1882 by Lady Brabazon, later the Countess of Meath, to provide occupation for the non-able-bodied inmates of workhouses in crafts such as knitting, embroidery and lace making. Training in the various crafts was provided by volunteers, and the costs were initially borne by Lady Brabazon herself. The scheme was slow to take off, until workhouses discovered that the goods being produced could be sold, and thus the project could be self-financing.^[1] On a visit to the workhouse in Great Yarmouth in 1903 Queen Alexandra paid £5 – equivalent to about £455 as of 2012^[a] – for a bedspread made by two elderly inmates, "to encourage the old people in their work".^[3] Christchurch Poor Law Union became involved in the Brabazon scheme to provide occupation for old men, who produced goods such as baskets, rugs, wickerwork and woollen clothing. Proceeds from the sale of these products was used to cover the cost of materials or to provide extras for the wards, such as a gramophone. The men were usually paid for their labour with extra tobacco.^[3]

By 1900 there were 177 Poor Law Unions taking part in the scheme. The projects were usually managed locally by members of a ladies committee for the union operating the workhouse.^[3]

References

Notes

^ Comparing relative purchasing power of £5 in 1903 with 2012^[2]

Citations

^ Higginbotham (2012), Brabazon scheme
^ Officer, Lawrence H., Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to Present, MeasuringWorth, archived from the original on 24 November 2009, retrieved 17 December 2013
^ ^a ^b ^c Higgs (2007), p. 63

Bibliography

Higginbotham, Peter (2012), The Workhouse Encyclopedia (eBook), The History Press, ISBN 978-0-7524-7719-0
Higgs, Michelle (2007), Life in the Victorian & Edwardian Workhouse, Tempus Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7524-4214-3

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[3] Comparing relative purchasing power of £5 in 1903 with 2012^[2]

[FOOTNOTEHigginbotham2012Brabazon_scheme-1] Higginbotham (2012), Brabazon scheme

[2] Officer, Lawrence H., Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to Present, MeasuringWorth, archived from the original on 24 November 2009, retrieved 17 December 2013

[FOOTNOTEHiggs200763-4] Higgs (2007), p. 63

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v t e Poor laws of the British Isles
Poor laws by territory	England and Wales Scotland Ireland Isle of Man	Nantwich workhouse
Old Poor Law	Vagabonds and Beggars Act 1494 Tudor poor laws Poor Relief Act 1597 Poor Relief Act 1601 Poor Relief Act 1662 Relief of the Poor Act 1696 Poor Relief Act 1722 Relief of the Poor Act 1782 House of correction Overseer of the poor Poor rate Poor relief Buttock mail
Relief systems	Outdoor relief Speenhamland Labour Rate Roundsman Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor
New Poor Law	Royal commission (1832) Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 Poor Law (Scotland) Act 1845 Less eligibility Workhouse Workhouse test Board of guardians Outdoor Labour Test Order Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order Poor law unions Opposition Book of Murder Scottish poorhouse
Changes after 1834	Poor Law Commission Poor Law Board Local Government Board Andover workhouse scandal Huddersfield workhouse scandal Union Chargeability Act
Decline and abolition	Liberal welfare reforms Royal Commission (1905–09) Majority Report Minority Report Interwar poverty National Assistance Act 1948
Other	Christmas Day in the Workhouse Historiography of the Poor Laws Timeline of the English poor law system Poor Relief Act List of poor law unions in England List of poor law unions in Wales List of Irish poor law unions