Northern Daily Telegraph - Monday 14 March 1904

Rural ratepayers in Sussex seem to possess certain grim humour. During recent parish council debate Cuckfield Workhouse was called the 'fattening coop', on the ground that lazy, able-bodied labourers entered the 'house' in winter and came out 'as fat as pigs' in the spring.

A model coop labelled 'Cuckfield Workhouse' is now being raffled for by the ratepayers, and the winner of this artwork will have the privilege of deciding the charity to which the proceeds shall be devoted.

Photograph courtesy of Mid Sussex Times https://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/retro/life-and-rather-hard-times-cuckfield-workhouse-851244