How woman went undercover in workhouses in 1900s

In 1904, a woman left her terraced house in Oldham, disguised in old clothes and pretending to be destitute.

She travelled to a common lodging house and what she found there left her horrified.

This is the story of Mary Higgs, who went undercover to expose the awful conditions in workhouses and common lodging houses in the early 1900s.

Her story is the latest to feature in BBC Radio Manchester’s Hidden Manchester series.

The mother-of-four was born in Wiltshire before moving to Bradford due to her father’s work.

In 1891, she relocated to Oldham after her husband, Reverend Thomas Higgs, was given a job as a minister at Greenacres Congregational Church.

Carol Talbot, who has written a book about Mrs Higgs’s life, said: “When she came to Oldham she had found her sphere.

“She found things that she could actually do.”

It was during this time that Mrs Higgs became concerned about the conditions women faced at workhouses and in common lodging houses so she decided to go undercover alongside a friend.

Dr Samantha Shave, a historian with expertise in British welfare policies, said: “The conditions were not great at all. They were very unhealthy in many ways. She would have encountered very stale food, innutritious food.

“The bedding could have been full of vermin.”

After enduring five nights undercover, Mrs Higgs published a report on her findings.

Her investigation had the desired effect, causing shock and uproar.

“For this period of time wasn’t Higgs clever,” said Ms Shave.

“She knew how to generate public attention for her cause.

“She was able to gain evidence by observing and experiencing conditions at this time for women who were homeless.”

Later that year, Mrs Higgs was called to give evidence before a government inquiry.

“She took the opportunity to offer constructive solutions to what she saw as the many inadequacies of the system,” said Ms Talbot.

She described Mrs Higgs, who was awarded an OBE for her work, as a “driving force” for change, helping to bring about better regulations for women’s lodgings, advocating for welfare changes and helping to support many people within her community.