As the British population grew drastically in the 19th century, there was an increase in unemployment, as well as lower wages, but higher taxes for those with work – it was becoming much harder for parishes to support local paupers with ‘outdoor relief’.
Source 2 is a sign from a workhouse, which makes it appear a welcoming place, greatly contradicting the other two sources – the anti-Poor Law poster and an extract from a contemporary novel – in many ways, but also paralleling in some aspects.
The source is from 1776 – this was around the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and over half a decade before the new Law was passed - a completely different time with more money available to support the local poor; however, the other two sources were published a few years after the passing of the law, the effects of which would have been fully felt by this point. People were clearly dissatisfied, and this is seen clearly through the messages: both illustrate the cruel conditions the poor faced in such places, although more ironically in Source 3. The language could be considered similar to that of Source 2, given that both are of a ‘positive’ nature, such as ‘support’, ‘relief’ and ‘comfort’ with genuine connotations - it would not be hard to believe that the workhouse was not a completely unpleasant place to be at that time, as it was considered a person’s duty to take of the less fortunate. As this is a ‘sign’, there would obviously be an element of advertising, although