Christmas Day at the Workhouse

The North Star, Monday 27 December 1886 and other sources
 
It was Christmas Day yesterday, and we had such a treat. We went into the chapel for the service in the morning, and it was so pretty. Holly on the walls and pews, and a cross of Christmas berries over the communion table. I can’t make out the words, but my friend read them to me – Emmanuel, God with us, they said. We had cake and hot sweet tea afterwards, which was grand.
 
We had us dinner, at two. We had roast beef with baked and boiled potatoes, and a pint of beer, which was a gift from the Landlord of the Schooner Inn. And there was plum pudding as well. The lady who works in the kitchen, who sometimes comes to talk to me, said that the puddings were made with 35 pounds of currents, 20 pounds of raisins, 21 pounds of sugar and 30 eggs. I would have liked to see them stir and boil that.
 
The dining hall was full of decorations made out of bright coloured paper. All the men got an ounce of tobacco, and the old ladies got snuff. I got tea and an orange – it smelled like foreign places and spices – and the children got sweets and nuts. My Nancy’s face was a picture.
 
In the evening, we saw a magic lantern display, which was so clever and so merry, and the old men sang songs. There was cake too, but I was so full I couldn’t eat another thing.