Dreaded institution a history of the workhouse

Early houses–pubs open in the early hours to feed and water the market trade–have been a cornerstone of London for centuries. Yet, as Will Hosie finds, they aren’t stuck in the past

The Foundling Museum, London WC1

The Victorian age saw the birth of the criminal-justice system as we know it today in Britain, with the establishment of modern policing and prisons. More criminal records were created than ever befor

Mary Wade stood trial at the Old Bailey in 1789 for stealing a few items of clothing. She was only 10 years old, but London’s central criminal court condemned her to hang. Her sentence was commuted to

At St Mary’s Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Co. Galway, the bodies of hundreds of infants born to unmarried mothers were dumped in a disused sewer. Now, thanks to the heroic efforts of one woman, they will be given a proper burial.

Parish churches need the same campaigning energy that saved the great country houses 50 years ago