My great aunt, born 1903, was terrified to the day she died about ending up in the workhouse. Not that she was ever in it, and she eventually had a good job as a forewoman in a shirt factory in Derry, Northern Ireland, but what she saw happening to others in her lifetime remained with her forever. God rest her and all souls who lived through those terrible times.

My mother Peggy missed out on the workhouse by being placed in an orphanage run by a church. The nuns were so cruel. Peggy was in the orphanage from 9 till 18.she could not leave at the usual 16 as all her mother and step father could offer was a mattress in a celler. It affected her for her whole life. Broken families and poverty ruin generations.

My lovely mum was in a work/poor house in Staffordshire from 1941 when she was 12 until 1944 when she was 15. Even today mum cannot talk about it. Both her parents had died and that's why she was sent there. She was from a very poor family so that was bad enough. Now and again she will speak of what happened and then gets so upset she cannot carry on. I feel so sad for my mum and others that were forced to live in those awful places. I count my blessings every single day.

When I was growing up, a common phrase I’d hear from my family was “ you don’t want to end up in the poor house!” I never really grasped exactly what that meant. Now I understand how much of a threat, a scary thing that actually could be.

I am not from a British decent and have no relatives that went through this system however, this documentary made me cry and realize that as a private citizen in my own community I am not doing enough for those in need. Things are about to change.

This video opened a window to my family’s past. Now I understand why the worst thing for them was being “sent to the poor house” . How many times did I hear my grandparents say this! For the lower classes this was a very real reality that had a huge impact on them psychologically even if they never entered the doors. Now my question is whether or not any of my ancestors actually did end up there. I think the answer is most likely yes.

Now I know why my Grandparents always said, "Turn out that light! Do you want us to end up in the poorhouse!?" It actually sounds worse than being homeless in the open air. We are *SO* incredibly blessed, even spoiled, nowadays. Even those of us with very little money aren't as bad off as the people then.

So much tragedy, trauma, and despair. But in the sadness, stories of small victories. Hannah (Chaplin’s mother), rescued from an asylum, lived in luxury with her son during her last 7 years. Carter Friend was able to fight to the age of 91 and be buried with dignity by family. Patrick did get to see his sons, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. Little bits of sunshine for these innocent people trying to make it through life against a hateful society and stigma.

I am American but I read Jennifer Worth's books many years ago. One is about the workhouses and throughout the other books many patients also live and work there. I was honestly so struck by it all and just how behind America is with the working poor. When my dad passed, if not for his brother we would have had to get a loan to have him cremated. This video was so interesting and well done

This episode was so heartbreaking but I loved the journey of their ancestors into the hearts of their descendants so long after. Brian Cox’s story was specially beautiful. He got to know that his great grandpa got this meet his mother when she was a little girl. That’s precious and such a reward for Patrick! ❤️

This was heart breaking to watch. My 3x great grandfather was born in a workhouse in Cornwall in 1834. The family story that was told was that his mother and father were in love and wanted to get married but one (or both) of their families wouldn't allow it. My 4x great grandmother was then sent to a workhouse to have the baby. After she had the baby she registered the birth with the local church and listed my 4x great grandfather as the father. At some point someone from his family went to the church and had the pastor cross out his name. Her baby was taken from her at some point. He was sent out and fostered with a lady. Two years later she was back in the workhouse and had a second son that she named the same name she gave the first son. That fact has always sort of bothered me. But I understand it now. Her child had been taken away from her and she was trying to replace him. Her first child eventually immigrated to Canada. His father eventually claimed him. The next clue I have about her is she witnessed a marriage when she was about 42. I have no other information on her. I cannot imagine that her life was okay.

"Poverty regarded as a crime." This sentiment hasn't changed. Same as the idea that it's the fault of said person for being poor. The only real difference is that the poor aren't dissected to repay their so-called debt to society. Mostly.

My husband and myself took in Charlie Chaplin's great-nephew. Let me tell you all, this man is 84 years young, been through Hell and back, and he's the most kindest, sweetest, generous, compassionate, warmest, down to Earth, smart, and a military vet. I LOVE learning historical events, people, and crimes. It's intriguing. There are many, many things that are taught on here that history classes simply cannot do it justice. I hope that everyone is having a wonderful, relaxing and safe weekend. God bless all of you, and your loved ones.

I love stumbling across history videos. I can’t believe this isn’t something that is taught in our history class. It’s crazy that this went on for such a long period of time as well.

It's so beautiful to see people so affected and with the ability to feel (empathy) for people from long ago who they neither knew or met

I live in America. I came across the video by chance and decided to watch it. I had never even heard of the "Poor House" as being a real place. My siblings and I grew up really poor, but we never were so poor that we went hungry for very long and we always had a roof over our heads. We had to wear clothing that the church would give us and shoes as well. My mom worked at many jobs, ironing, cooking, laundry, etc. My father left us when my sisters and I were small as he was a violent alcoholic, so it's good that he left. But there were times when my mother had very little and she used to say, "At least we aren't in the Poor House"! I never knew what she meant until today when I happened upon this video. Amazing !!! She has now passed on, bless her heart! I will always remember her saying, "At least we're not in the Poor House!"

Something similar existed here in the USA. My partner’s mother and her brother were put in what was called Catholic Orphanages. Many families worked the mills of New England barely making ends meet. When their mother abandoned them the father was unable to watch over them d make a living . Brothers and Sisters were separated in different wards. They were constantly punished and treated poorly because they were considered burdens. Maybe not as bad as a workhouse but pretty horrible.

I found out my grandmother had a twin sister who had died of starvation when they were just toddlers. She only confessed this to us on her deathbed. I still think about this everyday. Tell your family. They deserve to know.

When I started working in the ambulance service over 40 years ago, there was a Geriatric Hospital in a converted workhouse. The place was enormous, 96 bed wards with nearly 40 in total. It was extremely traumatic for the patients and ourselves when we had to transport people to be admitted. As soon as they saw where they were going they would start to scream, shout and fight to get away. I often thought it was cruel to use the former workhouse that way. It wasn't the only former workhouse used as a hospital. Other examples in Liverpool were Alder Hey Hospital and Mill Road Maternity Hospital. There were others but I don't know them. The Geriatric Hospital was demolished and is now a housing estate. That's a shame as it had the best NHS restaurant in the country, with waitress service, A La Carte and preset menus. It was brilliant.

This is history . Very interesting documentary , and well done. Thank you . Sadly in some places in the world poverty is still a crippling reality for millions of people .

My grandfather died in an Irish workhouse.Before that they lived in actual ditches. I only found this out this week. I also did my phyc training in a one that was turned into a phyc hospital, actually still had the old workhouse records.

My the 1970' and 80's nan used to always say - "You'll have me in the workhouse' as a joke when I asked for anything. I always wondered what she meant. I am amazed to learn they were operational until the 1940's! The fear of poverty has driven me to this very day. Cox is right about poverty being in the DNA.

This story of the Victorian Work House has left me in tears!!! I've never heard of so much cruelty toward extremely poor people, after all poverty is a condition not a crime. I live in California , in my way to work to San Francisco year after year I've seen homeless people in the worst conditions and frankly not too much has been done for them. Poverty hasn't change its face, and people are still stigmatized. The family histories of these people are very sad, so much misstreatment, separating men from women , mothers from their children, beating them, starving them, putting them down, ignoring their feelings, dreams and hopes.. How unjust to condemn women for being single mothers but the men that contribute to those pregnancies could walk on the street with their heads up high!. In any time and place women had suffered more than than men and and so much is expected from us. Is painful that one lady could never see her little sister and she had no money to pay her fair. The English government at the time were evil forcing poor people and children to emmigrate to Australia. Those children were practically kidnapped from her mom. And later the government says sorry? How about some financial compensation to the survivors of their horrible acts? Thanks for sharing these families stories, English history, and the policies and the punishment for being poor. Blessings to all the survivors and the ones that are dead RIP, ♥🎋♥🎋♥🎋

I love the pride Alma has that her children never knew the struggle and shame that she felt, but I hate the pain she still feels at what she couldn’t have helped.

My love to you all for showing us your families history, I also cried at the heartbreak you went though in your discoveries. I know nothing about my Mums roots only that she was sent to a orphanage in 1920 aged 2. I guess it gives many of us hope we may one day find answers.

My grandmother was brought to South Africa from Scotland in the early 1900's. Love to follow up on this history of the "orphan's" who were "exported" to South Africa. Loved this documentary. Real history ♥️

My family has secrets, that my mother died, telling very few of them. One she did tell, was that her grandmother, when she entered menopause, was put in an asylum in England, and never heard from again, which must have been horrible.

This is horrible. The trauma so many people experienced is heartbreaking

Dickenson did a good job describing poor house, workhouse, debtor's prison, and orphanages . This had the advantage of video which drives the Dickenson words into disgusting reality. Thank you.

Hearing stories like these, really makes you appreciate the life you have. Yes, I have dealt with many hardships, pain, loss and heartache. But nothing like what the people who lived in the workhouses dealt with. It was a living hell for them.

The work house was a cruel unjust way of life. My great grandfather in England had several boys when his wife died. All the boys were sent either to Australia or Canada like my grampa and my great Uncle Bert. My grandfather was an extremely emotionally wounded man and I have some pretty solid evidence to believe he was abused in his Canadian home as an indentured servant. This is why I have such a love hate relationship with England.

My aunt on my father's side was terrified when her family arranged for her to move into a old people's home as she believed they where sending her to the poor house ,she died not long after they moved her ,I believe she had literally scared herself to death . I'm afraid that we still belittle people who fall on hard times ,are perception of it won't happen to me is as frail as tissue paper in water .

My great aunt's husband and his sister were sent to the workhouse circa 1870 when their parents died. While they were there the sister was hit across the head by the matron, with a set of heavy keys. She was one of the poor souls who died in these hell holes. She was ten years old.

My nanna born in 1900 and her younger sister were placed in the workhouses from time to time growing up when things got tough for the family, due to ilness being unable to work or when times were really difficult and there was no work. It was a last resort for the family but at least there was a roof over the children's heads and some food. In early 1970's she lived with my parents and us 3 kids in a 1 bed rented terrace with outside loo. Never once in my life did I hear my Nanna complain about anything.

I couldn't stop crying while I watched this. An eye opening gut wrenching documentary of a past not to be forgotten.

What happened to Charlie Chaplin's mother is terrible I feel so bad for what happened to her, an asylum would have been horrific and she was sent there because she had beaten! What a reason! I am sure plenty others had similar horrific tales 😢😢

I can relate to what Patrick said I'm afraid of poverty still, it came from my nan who was terrified of bein poor an being sent to the workhouse she was born in 1907, bless her that fear has travelled down the generations...

Even with the information they do have, only those back in history know what really happened, how these poor people really were, what they were thinking, what their choices really were. What we do know is amazing, and so sad, especially for the children.

I really really love how strongly Brian Cox reacts to the facts of the system. We should all be as stridently outraged and sickened by this kind of systemic violence and moral demonization towards the poor

I'm Canadian, born and raised, yet I can remember my mum and her aunts speaking of the Workhouse. We didn't have such a thing in Canada, but my mum's family were Irish immigrants, and were dirt poor. It's amazing how through the generations, the fear inspired by the Victorian Workhouses, reached Canadian shores. The scars inflicted weren't just on those housed within its walls, but on those who knew the stories of others who had been.

I imagined being in a workhouse was that hard from the little Joseph Merrick wanted to talk about his experiences. If it was hell for other people, imagine for a person like him, who society didn't accept.

Utterly cruel... I'm weeping in horror for these unfortunate people!!

Literally heartbreaking what these people endured during this time . They were stripped of their dignity. Workhouses were hell holes 💔

I had a sweet, elderly friend in Aberdeen, who always horrified me by spitting at the wall of what used to be a place for unmarried, pregnant women. Only there. I think there was more to the story, but she never told me anything of the horrors behind those big walls. Only later, did I understand why.

It’s sobering to think that the conditions within some peoples memory were so terrible. I’m in my 60’s and a lot of people my age will remember the feeling of being always numbingly cold in the winter with ice on the inside of the windows. We didn’t have a bathroom, and hot water had to be boiled in a big galvanised bucket. But we were lucky as there was an NHS and an umbrella of the welfare state. I can’t help feeling annoyed when people are whinging about not being able to afford to put central heating on.

my Grandad was orphaned and ended up on the Mars Ship Scotland, where he was with many other boys, they taught them trades, but it would have been rough going for sure, eventually he became a soldier fighting in WW1, watching this documentary made me realize that our world is still treating many around the world the same way as then, I call that beyond tragic

Seems the Victorians looked upon the poor and or destitute as less than human. The same as an unwed mother, to condemn the women as if they became pregnant by themselves. Then heap shame on the child for being born. They were sadly lacking in compassion. This was a most interesting look into the Poor Houses. My heart went out to all the people who were looking for familial history.

Even in America it was common to make statements about not wanting to end up in the workhouse. It makes me wonder if our country really understood that hell or if it was just a phrase we adopted. My great grandpa came over in the boat from Dublin Ireland in the late 1800s so I could have some ancestors that went through this to. I'm told I have a slight accent which I find interesting lol

I cried when they all realised the truths from the records and letters, so incredibly heartbreaking how human beings were treated back then.

It’s really weird how this episode occasionally frames the workhouse as an essentially effective institution as far as honing its participants into productive members of society

I wish someone would create a documentary on the " debtors prisons" . and " work farms " .I have heard that the latter was a place for unwed mothers years ago.

This is fascinating I am also related to Sarah Mcguire. I had found the same records on ancestry and read them to my husband going gosh that was a difficult life. Glad my cousin's agree. Thank you Sarah for living hard. Ancestors are doing well.

Whilst doing my Family History I discovered my 2X Great Grandfather worked as a storeman and his future wife was a nurse and both worked in the Bodmin Cornwall County Asylum (St Lawrence Hospital) I knew their life was hard but after watching this I now know how hard. I like to think that their love was the one bright thing that came out of such tragedy.

As someone presently unhoused and involved in social work/public health, it's kind of wild seeing how the anti-impoverished-people prejudices of Victorian people are still echoed in stigmatizing beliefs today. Love what useful empathy lessons this historical insight teaches modern people.

Friend´s story really struck a cord with me. It´s put a real human face to the statistics. What a marvelous person he must´ve been.

Awwww the one where the old man saved enough for his funeral at the age of 91 so as not to be a burden even in death made me cry.

Mind-blowing how well they kept records of everyone.

These high class folks looking into their ancestors lives will never understand the hardship that comes with living in poverty then or today. Even in modern times those who live in poverty, those who are homeless are looked down on and ostracized from society. Some states in the USA have even criminalized being homeless and feeding them. It's disgusting how so called "civilized" society treat those who cannot fend for themselves

Treating poverty as a crime that's sick 😫

History always repeats itself. We are headed back to this exact economic evil.

My grandma spoke about 'ending up in the poor house' as a dire warning. I remember the tone she used which left no doubt that it would be the worst thing that could happen. She was (like I am), from a working class background. The workhouse would have been a genuine possibility for them back then if they'd had the misfortune to become ill and lose their jobs. The old workhouse near us is now an expensive private home. I wouldn't want to live there.

my grandmother was in the workhouses but i never really inderstood what that meant. she would only drink out of a china cup (proper teacup) as she said a mug reminded her of the workhouse. she used to say this little rhyme that went something like "christmas day in the workhouse and the white washed walls were black". she lived such a frugal life that my dad and his brothers never had much except for simple food. her biggest fear was any of her children (or extended family for that matter) to have "a paupers grave".

So incredibly heartbreaking. All those people suffered so horribly.

It’s a blessing to be able to trace your ancestry back so far. It’s the one thing that makes me and other descendants of Africans forced into slavery feel so lost. Nothing known about where we came from. These are some hard stories to learn but better to know your family than not. I have learned plenty listening to this documentary. Thanks. 💜

The program does a fair job of exposing some of our recent appalling history (in industrialized/western countries) and that is important. However, perhaps in order to have a positive ending, they gloss over the realities of the introduction of "fostering out" poor children. Unlike now, where there is a separate process for removing all parental rights, back then that was automatic. Those children were rendered immediately destitute of family caring or love and kinship. Secondly, the idyllic scenario of rural life on a farm, or a happy, fulfilled life in Australia, are very rare. Most people accepted foster children for free farm or domestic labour, and they were often treated as near slaves, or abused. Many girls ended up impregnated by the male head of the household, as was common for any girl/woman in those days. Here in Australia there is a movement for acknowledgement /compensation to victims of those policies still living.

So sad to hear all this history of people who suffered such a harsh life and treatments only because they were poor and destitute.

My father came from Eastern Europe where there were no poor/work houses but plenty illegitimate and extremely poor .Even after 70 years his childhood shapes and directs his and the families life. The way they saw life back then was very,.....interesting.

Thinking about Brian Cox's great grandfather, one cannot help but wonder if prejudice against the Irish may have been a factor in labelling him so harshly.

Heartbreaking, how unbelievably heartbreaking for everyone. There will never be any justice for any of these victims, and we have the Crown to thank for it. While the royals lived their lives drenched in jewels and fine linens, stuffing their deceitful faces, they did so on the shoulders of their very own people who were treated worse than vermin. Unbelievable and shameful

these kinds of family secrets are so heartbreaking. i recently learned that my grandma's dad lost both his parents during the mexican civil war at the age of 6 and spent the rest of his childhood alone on the streets with no one to care for him. i can't even imagine the horror his everyday reality must have been. how he mustered the strength to find himself a steady job despite being an illiterate orphan with no training, marry, have children, and dedicate his life to providing them with the best life he possibly could is beyond me. he somehow even learned how to read and write in his 50s (he obviously had zero opportunity for education as a child). my mother and grandmother always talk about him and how generous and kindhearted he was and the fact he was that way after the trauma he'd faced is astonishing. i had no idea about the horrors of his early life until i was trying to make a family tree, when my grandma told me the truth about his childhood and that no one knows anything about his parents or anyone that came before. he only told his family the truth in his old age, and would not elaborate further as i'm sure he suffered enormously during his time on the streets and didn't want to relive the trauma of whatever awful things happened to him during that time.

That's sick that they separated families. It left women and children vulnerable and encouraged men to forget their families. Now they are doing the same things to people with jobs and people entering hospitals.

It's kind of like a message from our great grandparents to never give up our ancestors are truly inspirational People I am in awe of them and am going to try my best never to complain again

My abandoned as a child Grandfather ended up at Westpoint and being a college professor but never ever felt sorry for himself! Kind and thoughtful all his life he always said his parents gave him everything he needed to be successful; A strong mind and a strong body. I'm so lucky to have known him 💓

I love these History lessons. They are so raw and unfiltered. This one made me really sad and angry.

It boggles the mind that people once thought THIS was how to deal with poverty, may their souls rot in hell forever for the suffering they caused! Pay people a living wage for their work is how to be just. They simply didn't pay people their worth and then made it the fault of those they were unjust to to being with!

You can see the pain on each of these people's faces as the learn how horrible the world was to their ancestors...their families. Its hard to believe how horrible it was back then. But in 100 or a 1000 years from now...what will they say about our society? Are we truly better? Less cruel? Did we learn?

Mr. Cox is appalled by how the system was in the 1800s. I'd like to see him learn that it hasn't changed. Maybe if people wealthy like he is that have compassion about it realize how difficult life is on other people they would attempt helping others and helping them in a way that actually helps them.

When Barbara Taylor Bradford's relative became pregnant she was working as a domestic servant in a home. I wonder if she had been abused as so many domestics were by the men of the house and then turned out when they found out she was expecting.

I am amazed at the neat and precise handwriting of people's history written on those books so that now people can trace back their loved ones.

So interesting how it gets recorded or alluded to as Mary having an "extramarital affair" but never mentions the possibility of a child being the result of a "rape," as though that could never happen to a woman in the early 1900's. Give me a break. The poor women could have likely said she was raped and yet, somehow, it'd still be her fault. So glad things have evolved since those times.

Living in Britain and have always had an interest in the work/poor house, non of my family I have found so far were in one. What I do know though through research not all were bad, many were run correctly and the "inmates" treat with a certain amount of fairness, although life was tough. Luckily only a comparative few were run in such appalling ways, even so not a place anyone wished to end up in.

He is Damn right to be angry... I would be (at the rotten system, and psychopaths at the top).... My heart bleed especially for the mothers,... and children 😢💔 just can't contain how much trauma, injustice and sadness our forfathers had to endure 😭.. We really need to know our past! We should never go against each other, but always stand together to build a better system❤️

A very good book by Jack London The Abyss. He actually goes undercover and lives among the people of the East End and writes about it.

What's sad is that people are still treated like criminals for being poor.

All while the poor are "living" like this, the wealthy class are trying to find new ways in which they can spend aka waste their immense wealth. I heard of one account where a railroad tycoon, I think his name was Billings, ended up spending 50,000 pound on dinner at a restaurant which today would amount to 1 and half million dollars. All the while people are dying from starvation and abject poverty. Its just infuriating to think about.

The story at around 51:00 is so sad. Her other 9 kids must have been through so much sadness losing their mother and then she lost her home again 😢.

This is so sad... I didn't know about this. While it's educational, it's disheartening to know that this is how people of certain social class were treated. Heartbreaking...

The fact they're called "inmates" breaks me heart.

It was a terrible thing to end up in Australia as a child from UK. I lived in Australia and saw the Museums showing in great detail how these Children were treated with immense cruelty.Boys were forced to work the land, many with regular beatings and little food. Unpaid slaves. Girls were also forced to toil on Farms as unpaid labour, or cleaning houses and treated deplorably Babies and young children were placed in homes, cared for by drunk matrons. Many died of neglect, even babies in their cots, unfed , unwashed and given no mental , physical or emotional stimulation and care. I ended up walking around, looking at the little faces in photographs ( all drawn and emaciated ) in tears. Obviously there were some who were lucky and with good families

This is incredibly sad. The Royals should have been appalled and used some of their wealth to help these people. Instead of prancing around in their finery.

This is interesting, i love to learn about history… but history is in the past and there is nothing we can do about it. The only thing is that we learn from the past and make the future better. I hope these characters in this episode living good life’s with money and fame see that there is still poverty in the world and in their country to fight and they are free to join the fight against it….

Such a cruel system. I cannot understand how poverty is seen as something worth punishment instead of trying to make things better so people are in a better situation.

😢😢😢How tragic history holds such devastating secrets of the times. The stories are gut wrenching and very emotional but we need to continue to learn from such terrible situations and strive for a better way of life and understanding so it never happens again.

May their suffering not go without notice and may we never do this again. So sad. I can't believe the difference between "backward" Southern Italy and England. My grandparents born in 1901 and 1906 were not put through this kind of suffering. They figured out how to get rented land to farm. They did not have education.

Both my Grandfather and Great Uncle were sent from Brighton, to work on farms in Canada. They were 8 and 10, when they made the long journey. My Grandfather was sent to a French Canadian farm, in Quebec, and my Uncle George to an English farm in Ontario. They were Dr. Barnardo children. That was in 1910. My Great Grandmother had lost her husband, Samuel, who died at age 42, in an accident. He was a photographer. She kept her daughter, in Brighton, but gave the boys up to work on the farms in Canada.

Shocking! So much that should have been taught in schools and never was and still isn't. The wealthy and powerful along with career political people still take and forget those they look down on. Sickening!

Believe me, there are still quite a lot of people who view poverty as a crime!!

My 2x Great grandmother was born in a South London Workhouse. 152 years later her Great Great Grandchild has not long got back from a private Villa in the Med. your resilience to mother your children and never give up was not in vain Maryann Lane ❤️. Feeling so lucky and blessed to be born in better times. Absolute cruelty the way the victorians looked down and treated the poor, classing it as a crime. Makes me feel somewhat shamed to be proud to call this country home. I hope There was days of laughter and comfort amongst the misery. 😢😢🙏🏻

It's hard to understand why more poor people were not sent to Australia, Canada and the United States. If more people had emigrated, then there would have been resources for the elderly and infirm who couldn't work. It's also hard to understand why there wasn't training for jobs so they could leave the workhouse as quickly as possible. Maybe the sheer scale of poverty overwhelmed the authorities.

In Edwardian England my Great Grandmother was a “needle mistress” in a workhouse. By reading census’s I believe she taught needlework to women.