TheGlasgowStory 

Skip Navigation / Jump to Content

Featured Images

Anchor Line
Anchor Line

The ICI Building
The ICI Building

Barnhill Poorhouse

Glasgow Caledonian University, Research Collections, Heatherbank Museum of Social Work

*Open in New Window
Barnhill Poorhouse

Two inmates pictured in a ward for old men, Barnhill Poorhouse, around 1900. They are wearing black moleskin or herringbone tweed suits, the regular pauper costume, and a tartan scarf to mark the courtyard to which they belong.

Inmates' clothing was either destroyed or stored on admission and they were required to wear poorhouse clothing to discourage them from running away. However, the clothing supplied was of relatively good quality, and some people sought admission to kit themselves out and promptly absconded with the clothes. Vagrants sometimes came in to have their verminous clothing treated in the poorhouse de-lousing machine.

Inside the original building's quadrangle there were four identical courtyards separated by a central corridor running the full length of the building. There was a separate courtyard for men, women, boys and girls, and strict segregation was observed.

Reference: Heatherbank Museum of Social Work, print 970

Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow Caledonian University, Research Collections, Heatherbank Museum of Social Work

Keywords:
Barnhill Poorhouse, beds, courtyards, dormitories, geriatric services, hospitals, hygiene, moleskin suits, old people, paupers, pensioners, poor relief, poorhouse inmates, poorhouses, scarves, social welfare, tweed suits, vagrants



Quick Search


Photo Album

You have 0 images in your photo album.

View Photo Album

Log-In (Optional)

username:
password:
Not a user? Register now for FREE!

Other Options