“Poor pilgrims blithe and jolly,
in penance for past folly.”
-Seceders in limbo -Vagabonds made useful. 1798 etching
Hemp: The Prison Pounding
As I’ve discussed in my earlier story ‘The Poor House’ (link to the story here ), many institutions of the poor and criminal were set to work in grueling tasks. At the center of this work was usually Hemp…
Between picking oakum and beating the stalks of hemp, the labor was torturous.
Getting sentenced to Pound Hemp is just not as fun as you would think…
“Mind your business ye vegabonds, no idling, I’ll teach ye a new trade now you have left your old calling. There is a great deal of rope wanted there must be no neglect of duty here.”
-Seceders in limbo, 1798
Seceders in limbo -Vagabonds made useful. 1798 etching