Peter is described as "One of the more violent of the party" who "appeared to have seen better days." Peter's age is not given but he is a contemporary of the Peter Harvey Gooding d'Egville who accosted James Hervet d'Egville in Worcester in September 1854. Lacking further identifying information, on the balance of probabilities he might be a member of the d'Egville family who were active in East Anglia in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Consequently they are likely to be separate individuals.
Peter justifies his behaviour by complaining about the quality of the food and that Mr. Clamp is robbing the paupers. Their soup was made of herring and sprats' heads and tails, potato peelings, peas and water. It is central to Peter's complaint the paupers who come to beg for soup at the workhouse gate are getting the peas because they sink to the bottom and the inmates are served first from the watery broth.
At first sight such soup might appear disgusting but at the time this "waste" would not be disposed of for composting or the local authority refuse collection. Most households would have used such ingredients to make stock.
In the course of this petty uprising a stick was thrown at a policeman and Peter displayed threatening behaviour towards a porter. It is surprising that he was only bound over and asked to make further complaints to the Board of Guardians. The Great Whip Street Workhouse was an institution intended to accommodate 400 people in an environment of strict discipline. Despite the magistrates apparent support of Mr Clamp their leniency towards Peter in a climate where compliance was paramount perhaps reveals deeper undercurrents.
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| The Ipswich Journal 2 December 1843 British Library Board |
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