What Impact did the 1834 New Poor Law have on Gressenhall workhouse in Norfolk?

... Gressenhall Extended Writing Task What Impact did the 1834 New Poor Law have on Gressenhall workhouse in Norfolk? Gressenhall workhouse was built in 1776 to cut the rising numbers and cost of the paupers in the Mitford and launditch area. In 1776 M+L was a farming area, new machines made high unemployment with low paid jobs. The costs kept spiralling upwards so the local property owners (middle class) wanted to stop the rising costs of the poor rate. In 1776 work began to build a 'House of Industry'. It averaged totals of nearly 450 people between 1777 and 1794; this reached 650 people in 1801 the highest ever. In1776 life in the workhouse was relatively fare with families in separate rooms with fires The Government brought in the 1834 New Poor Law to reduce the amount of people seeking relief. It was brought in as some middle class thought that the able

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