Odense Prison and Manufacturing House

Facts

Welfare and a factory for the poor

By Kathrine G. Bjerregaard, Cand.mag i historie og filosofi / Master of Arts, History and Philosophy (33 stories)

At Klosterbakken 13, in central Odense stands a beautiful two-storey yellow plastered half-timbered house. The house can tell a 250-year tale of the poor and social history. Behind these walls, poverty-stricken children, adults and old people were shut up while they worked for their keep. Odense Prison and Manufacturing House" was one of four special prisons in Denmark built by the King. The others were in Stege, Viborg and Copenhagen. Odense Prison and Manufacturing House is the only one that is preserved. Today, it houses Odense Municipality's department for the elderly and those with disabilities. "

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A doubly useful house" "

Story written by Kathrine G. Bjerregaard

Time / Periode 1752

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Over the entrance to the former prison and manufacturing house is a notice that says: A doubly useful house that brings twice the usefulness. It teaches diligence and suppresses begging. Our great Friderich, our King kind at heart, has wisely seen to both. 1752" The house on Klosterbakken 13 was in fact a very useful house. It functioned both as a workhouse and factory. Paupers were locked up there who had been apprehended for 'vagrancy' (unemployment), 'begging' and 'immorality' (amoral conduct). They were put to hard labour in return for their board and lodging, and produced goods such as cloth, gravel, paper bags and mats. Most of them were old women and men but many children were also brought up in the "useful house". "