Friday Talk: Life behind Doors: The World of the Workhouse

The workhouse was detested and feared and evoked shame in those individuals who were forced to enter its walls. The workhouse is deeply embedded in folk memory; children were often warned by their parents that if they misbehaved, they would be put into the workhouse. Kirsty Gray peers behind the closed doors of the workhouse, exploring the various records available for unearthing ancestors in the workhouse, and explains what life was like for its poor inmates.

Kirsty Gray is the managing director of Family Wise Ltd, one of the leading heir-tracing and people-finding companies in the UK, and the only High Street company in the industry.

Please note that this talk will be in the Woodhouse Garden Pavillion, which is a change from our usual venue.

Admission to the talk is £6 (free to Friends and Patrons of the Museum)

Refreshments will be available from 7 pm, and the talk will start at 7:30.

We have a wide variety of talks about our history and heritage from a range of expert speakers lined up for Spring and Autumn 2024. These will take place on Fridays (usually, but not always, the last Friday of the month) at the Parish Centre in Blandford. Please see our Events Calendar for the dates and details of other talks.