Stone pounding

It has been resolved by the Guardians that samples of stone-pounders are to be obtained for inspection at the next meeting of the House Committee. Mr Hole, of Burgess Hill, is to be invited to attend the meeting to explain his proposals as to repairing the present stone-pounders.

Fatting coop

The casuals fairly abominate the stone-pounding task, and many appear to prefer prison to having to perform it. All allowances of beer or money to inmates at the Workhouse for work done are to be stopped, it being argued by the Guardians that if the work required of an inmate was fit and proper, no payment or indulgence was justified, and if the work was not fit and proper it should not be required of the inmate. The other week the Guardians knocked off supplies of dry tea and sugar to the inmates. who were beginning to sigh for the ‘good old times’ when the Workhouse was known as the ‘fatting coop’.

Sussex Agricultural Express, 14 March 1908

Contributed by Malcolm Davison.

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