A Real Casual on Casual Wards - St. Giles (1866).

St. Giles, I have patronized once, and as it was nearly the first workhouse I ever went into, I will relate how it came about. It was in the latter part of August, and very warm weather, and a man going about to workhouses at that time frequently had to go to many places before he got in. At six o'clock on this evening I applied at Gray's Inn Lane, but was refused on the plea of having no room. I bent my steps towards St. Giles, and as the "taking in" hour was at eight o'clock in summer waited until then. But there were too many of us, and a good deal got left me amongst the rest. I went forwards at a slow pace towards Bow Street — reached there at about half past nine o'clock. I enquired if I could see the inspector. No; I couldn't — the inspector was engaged, but if I waited behind that post, I would get a chance of seeing him in a short time. It so happened that they were a good many charges, and I waited until eleven o'clock, when being tired I went to St. Giles, which is near there, and there got admittance. The time was very late and the porter there grumbled loudly and swore in proportion. He asked the usual questions, and some of them I didn't answer to his entire satisfaction. He gave me a small piece of bread, and as he was giving me into the charge of a pauper inmate to take into the casual ward, he said with the greatest contempt he could assume, "You a destitute man! Tell you what, you're a [blank] workus cadger." This was the more cutting as I had only been a very, few nights in my, then, condition. We went through some yards and down some steps into a cellar where my cicerone awakened the man in charge who slept there. This man swore he would not get up to give me a bath, and I might do as I liked. I, however, got hold of a dirty rug and a mattress, and laid them upon a board a little raised from the ground, and covered myself in addition to the rug with my clothes. The whole place was in a beastly state-- dirt and filth, and the stench was horrible. I slept though, very well amidst all these disadvantages, for I was tired. In the morning we awoke about seven and dressed, after which a stout man came — the task-master, and led us into a yard filled with stones, hammers, and all the other things necessary for breaking stones. I was set to break two bushels of these stones, and if I tried very hard would perhaps complete the task in two days. I am positive I couldn't do it under. Well, I begun hammered, and blew, and strained, and hammered again, but no go. The stone (it was the hard blue granite) would not break. I found my hands which are very small, and had not been used to such work, getting sore and blistered. Went le the task-master, and after showing him my hands represented to him how very difficult it was for me to break them. Oh! it didn't matter; it would have to be done, or — a policeman. I told him I would not do it, and didn't care a fig for policemen, as then I should have a good chance of representing my case to the magistrate, who if at all sensible would immediately see the folly of setting clerks to stone breaking, so I sate down on a barrow on defied him. He let me out about twelve o'clock, but without any breakfast.