Student Research Partnership explores history of London workhouses

Traveling back in time through historical archives is a constant pastime of Carleton’s history department. Susannah Ottaway ’89, Laird Bell Professor of History, continued the tradition last summer by exploring the history of workhouses in London with her group of student research partners: Julia Tassava ’26, Andra Brown ’26, Sylvia Dixon ’26, Lily Petersen ’26, and Sophie Ismail ’26.

Ottaway’s research initiatives stem from her long-term set of projects on institutions of social welfare, including hospitals and workhouses, which she has been working on for the last decade. An earlier Student Research Partnership (SRP) resulted in a publication on the history of institutions for the blind, co-authored with Adam Smart ‘22 and Michael Schultz ‘22. Prior to this past summer’s research, Ottaway worked on a joint publication with two colleagues in England, Samantha Williams (Cambridge University) and Alannah Tomkins (University of Keele), who approach workhouses from the perspective of nursing and childcare. The project’s ultimate goal is to produce a comprehensive book that fills a significant gap in the existing literature on workhouses. As Ottaway explains, the history of workhouses is “seriously understudied,” and this book aims to synthesize scattered pieces of information into a cohesive narrative. The research done by the SRPs will add significantly to Ottaway’s contributions to the book.

The Carleton group examined workhouses in England during the “long eighteenth century,” which extends from 1660 to 1830. These institutions, designed to assist the poor, housed individuals who were facing a range of social and economic challenges, including homelessness, unemployment, and physical disabilities. Ottaway’s project explores the intersection of disability history and social welfare, revealing how workhouses functioned as early welfare institutions. Through this lens, the research sheds light on the origins of modern social welfare systems and the ways in which these institutions provided care for vulnerable populations.

One of the most exciting moments of the project, according to Brown, was traveling to London to work in the city’s archives, where she handled centuries-old books. The project offered a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on historical research. 

“Research for history is not as commonly thought about; it’s not at the forefront of what people think history majors do,” Brown said. “I was eager to gain experience as a history major interested in seeing the types of research I can do with my major.”

Brown’s work involved meticulously combing through committee meeting minute books from workhouses, transcribing, and categorizing notes on topics such as medicine and construction. Despite the challenges of reading eighteenth-century handwriting and dealing with difficult-to-read microfilms, Brown found the experience rewarding, particularly as she began to recognize recurring names and stories within the minute books.

“It was a super interesting opportunity to see the things that people had written as their everyday mundane duties and use it now for research,” said Brown. “It was an awesome experience to physically handle such old books — books that are older than the United States.”

Petersen brought her interest in social welfare to the project. Her work focused on Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping to create maps from parliamentary returns from 1815. Petersen analyzed data from workhouse records, including detailed indexes of workhouse residents. Like Brown, Petersen found the archival research both challenging and illuminating. She was particularly struck by how early workhouses, despite their flaws, offered a form of social welfare that was, in some ways, “more progressive than today.”

“Reading through records made me more aware of how this is relevant to us now,” said Petersen.

Both students emphasized the collaborative nature of the project. They worked closely with their Carleton peers and with Ottaway, sharing insights and supporting each other through the challenges of archival research. The sense of community among the researchers was particularly strong during their time in London, where they navigated the archives together and engaged in discussions about their findings.

Carleton resources helped prepare the students to effectively take advantage of their time in London. The Libe was a great resource for the team, as Special Collections taught them how to handle old books through a dedicated workshop. Wei-Hsin Fu, GIS specialist in environmental studies, was particularly helpful in assisting the team with navigating the technical aspects of GIS mapping. 

“We learned how to do archival research by meeting with Carleton librarians who showed us how to handle old materials,” said Petersen. “During the trip, we learned how to collaborate with other people in a situation without a solid goal, which was different in a lot of ways from group projects in class. While we had a goal, it was flexible in that our goal was evolving as we discovered more. This reflected a more real-world scenario than guided, in-class work does.”

For Ottaway, the project is fueled by a passion for this subject that she has had for years. Her interest in the history of aging and disability began during her undergraduate studies at Carleton, when she volunteered in a nursing home and questioned why society often places older adults in such institutions. This curiosity has driven her research ever since, leading her to explore the cultural and historical roots of social welfare practices.

The involvement of student researchers is crucial to the project’s success. As Ottaway noted, their questions and insights have been “tremendously generative,” pushing the research in new directions and ensuring that the final book will be accessible to undergraduate students and the general public. 

“The questions from the students have surprised me in their perceptiveness. [The students’] questions and conversations will continue to shape the way I approach the topic,” said Ottaway. “Their work is going to be important and powerful in the book.”

From this experience, Brown and the other Carls have gained many skills to further their future studies.

“As a history major, this [has been] a really good opportunity to do some historical research,” Brown said. “I can now apply for a capstone project to work with primary sources and glean information from them. I’m now more interested in eighteenth-century England, and I’m more familiar with their handwriting. I understand better how archives work, and what the process is like of going to an archive, ordering materials, and handling them. This has been a good opportunity to write up a research report, where I take disjointed information and put it together, identifying patterns and synthesizing information.”

The group is very grateful to Eric Egge ’94, associate provost and professor of mathematics, who helped identify several areas of support for the project, as well as their funders, including the Office of Student Fellowships, the History Department, and the Provost’s Office.

Learn more about applying for a Student Research Partnership on the Humanities Center website.