The Western Times of 30th August 1845 reported this inquest which tells something of the story of young mother who tried to escape the Exeter Workhouse:
"On Tuesday Evening an inquest was held at the Workhouse, before J Warren Esq., on the body of an infant, between two and three years of age, the illegitimate offspring of Mary Hill.
"It had been rumoured that the child's death was caused by the gross neglect of its mother, and the person who had taken chaarge of it; but the enquiry proved that no intentional neglect had taken place, and that the child had been weakly from its birth.
"The mother had for a considerable period been a resident at the Workhouse, and although only about 23 years of age is the parent of two illegitimate children. The deceased was born in the house, and lived there with its mother until about four months since, when she left, taking her children with her. She has since been living somewhere in the back streets, working at the paper mills, and earning about 4s. per week, out of which she paid 1s. weekly for keeping the child by day.
"To find house rent, firing, and all the necessities of life for three human beings, only the poor pittance of 3s. per week was to be had; and it is not to be wondered at that the poor infant must have been ill-fed and poorly attended to.
"The child getting worse was removed to the Workhouse wiith its mother on Wednesday week, and languished to the following Monday, when it died,
"Mr. S.Warren, surgeon, who made post-mortem examination, stated that it died from disease of the lungs, it had also cankered mouth and was in a pitiable state. Evidence was given that the mother was kind and attentive as far as her means would permit, and the jury returned a verdict of natural death.
"We have no wish to vindicate the character of the wretched parent, who ought to have staid in the Workhouse, as no out-relief for her children is allowed; but supposing her to have been honestly inclined to reformation and amendment, the pittance that she earned all but entailed starvation upon the helpless infant."
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The Workhouse: was situated in Heavitree where today is The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. It continued as a workhouse until the nineteen-thirties and most of the buildings were destroyed by German bombs in the Second World War.
Mary Hill: who ought to have staid in the Workhouse, made the brave decision to take her children out into the world. She found work, found accommodation, she was kind and attentive to her children but, economic forces and the death of her child forced her back to the house again.
Her twenty-first century, single-mother, equivalent has a better deal. Right now she is perhaps unemployed, unattached, comfortably housed, in one of the restaurants of Queen Street, with her two kids, eating pizza, planning her next holiday in Benidorm and fulminating to her female companions against men in general. We seem to have missed the golden mean somewhere!
no wish to vindicate: Even the Western Times, the most liberal of Exeter papers cannot fully sympathise with a fallen woman; reformation and amendment are Mary Hill's best hope.
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