A Real Casual on Casual Wards - St. James's (1866).

St James's Workhouse is situate in Dufours Place, Great Portland Street. You are taken at six o'clock by a very decent man (paid official), and give names, &c., and have a bath with the usual accompaniment of wet towels. (The water is changed!) and get a good sized piece of bread to supper. The bed is not very clean, on account of allowing them to sleep in their own shirts, which are usually filled with vermin, and there is only one rug. You can, however, put your clothes over you, which are not kept away from you. I must say that altogether the sleeping is very indifferent. The bunks and everything are Lambeth fashion only one rug less. In the morning you are awaked at seven o'clock and have breakfast; the same sized piece of bread as at night, with the addition of one pint of good gruel. After this the taskmaster looks at the different trades given by the casuals, and choosing those who from their occupations can break stones — laborers stone-masons and the like — takes them out into the yard to there break two bushels of stones. This breaking granite in workhouses goes by the name (on account of its hardness) of "cracking diamonds."

Those of a lighter occupation, clerks, painters, &c., have to pick a quarter of a pound of coir. This coir is cocoa-nut matting, and may be picked, perhaps, in a couple of hours. It is much cleaner than oakum, and therefore, better liked, besides been easier.

The Guardians of St. James's are not troubled with a great many casuals, nothing like what they ought to have. The reason is clear, the dietary is not very extra, the bed is not good, and for laborers, &c., (the most numerous class of casuals), the work is very stiff. Of course, this workhouse by carrying on a severe course of work, &c., is throwing a great deal of its "casuals" on to others.