Emergence of the modern soup kitchen Soup kitchen

sir benjamin thompson, painted thomas gainsborough, 1783.

the earliest modern soup kitchens established inventor sir benjamin thompson, employed aide-de-camp elector of bavaria in 1790s. thompson american loyalist refugee new england inventor ennobled bavaria count rumford. count prominent advocate of hunger relief, writing pamphlets read across europe.

his message received in great britain, had held senior government position several years , known colonel . urgent need had arisen in britain food relief, due leading role in driving industrial revolution. while technological development , economic reforms rapidly increasingly overall prosperity, conditions poorest made worse, traditional ways of life disrupted. in closing years of 18th century, soup kitchens run on principles pioneered rumford found throughout england, wales, , scotland, 60,000 people being fed them daily in london alone.

while soup kitchens regarded, did attract criticism some, encouraging dependency, , on local level attracting vagrants area. in britain made illegal, along other forms of aid apart workhouses, poor law amendment act of 1834.

during irish famine of 19th century, in many 1 million people may have died, british government passed temporary relief act (also known soup kitchen act) in february 1847. act amended restrictions on provision of aid outside workhouses duration of famine, , expressly allowed establishment of soup kitchens in ireland relieve pressure overstretched poor law system, proving totally inadequate in coping disaster.

prohibition against soup kitchens relaxed on mainland britain too, though never again became prevalent had been in 19th century, partly 1850s onwards, economic conditions began improve poorest. first few decades after return of soup kitchens mainland britain, @ first heavily regulated, run groups charity organization society. in 20th century, campaigning journalists bart kennedy criticize them long queues, , degrading questions staff ask hungry before giving out soup.

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