1. Hard Labor: Inmates in workhouses were required to perform arduous and monotonous tasks, such as breaking rocks, picking oakum (untwisting old ropes), or working in factories or laundries. The work was physically demanding and often performed for long hours.
2. Solitary Confinement: Individuals who violated workhouse rules or displayed unruly behavior could be subjected to solitary confinement. They would be isolated in small, dark, and poorly ventilated cells for varying periods, sometimes as punishment and sometimes as a preventive measure to maintain order.
3. Whipping: In some workhouses, corporal punishment in the form of whipping was used as a means of discipline. It was primarily reserved for cases of gross misconduct or repeated offenses. Whipping was usually carried out with a birch rod or a cat-o'-nine-tails (a whip with nine knotted leather thongs) on the backs of male inmates.
4. Bread-and-Water Diet: As a form of punishment, individuals could be restricted to a bare subsistence diet consisting solely of bread and water. This meager ration was intended to punish misbehavior and deter inmates from breaking the rules.
5. Segregation: Workhouses were often divided into separate wings or wards for different categories of inmates, such as able-bodied adults, women, children, and the elderly. In some cases, individuals who were deemed particularly troublesome or disruptive could be segregated from the general population and placed in a separate section of the workhouse to prevent them from influencing others.
6. Discharge: In extreme cases, inmates who consistently breached the rules or proved refractory (resistant to authority) could be discharged from the workhouse. This meant they would be turned out onto the streets and left to fend for themselves, often leading to dire circumstances and further hardship.
These punishments were part of a punitive approach to poor relief during the Victorian era. Workhouses were designed to be harsh and uninviting to discourage individuals from relying on public assistance and to compel them to seek employment or other legitimate means of supporting themselves.