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Diet table showing meals at workhouse

Diet sheet for St Luke's Workhouse, Chelsea of c.1833

Bread and gruel have been depicted as the standard food offered in the workhouse, especially by Charles Dickens. This 1833 dietary table for Chelsea Workhouse certainly seems to endorse the point. Mutton, or more often mutton broth, featured three times a week. One interesting addition was one pint of good beer every day except Saturday when it was substituted by a pint and half of substantial soup.

Location of original: Chelsea scrap books
Copyright: the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Libraries(RBKC Libraries)

Every effort has been made to seek permission to reproduce those images whose copyright does not reside with The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and we are grateful to the individuals and institutions who have assisted in this task. Any omissions are entirely unintentional, and the details should be addressed to Virtual Museum Team, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

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