"Ladies," Jeremy started when they were all sitting comfortably in the lounge. Dinner was over and all the chores were done. It was after eight. Modern hour. "From now until bedtime, we will revert to 'modern mode.' You can talk freely and we are not Master and Mistress of the Workhouse. Sarah, your tutor is here with us and although staying in the house, she is not bound by our workhouse regulations at any time. If she was you might find a cane or a strap on her desk which she would use to encourage her less apt pupils."

"A strap-on might be enjoyable," commented Sally laughing. The others joined in the joke.

Jeremy smiled and tried to continue. "I think she was a little startled by the events of this morning but she hasn't run off and is continuing with the course." Laughter. "You asked about life here in the nineteenth century and about the journal that was written at the time. As I told Kathy, I cannot let you read it without knowing a lot more about your sensibilities. Large proportions of the journal are devoted to the sexual use, probably you would say abuse, of the women here and what I am sure you would believe are the excessive punishments inflicted on them. However Margaret has agreed to read an entry to you concerning the christening of the chair Shelly was bent over and chastised in this morning. Josiah Winsberly who was master of the house for about ten years from January 1831 wrote the journal. Alice was his mistress and head of the house staff. Even though this is one of the milder entries, there are explicit descriptions of sexual activities some of you may find repugnant, others I'm sure, will find it titillating and arousing. As it is difficult to expurgate each chapter without re-writing the whole thing, Margaret will read it just as we translated it from this original journal." Jeremy showed them the old journal but didn't let them handle the rather fragile book. "If any of you do not wish to hear the tale or are likely to be upset by the way the women were thrashed and raped by several men afterwards, please leave now. It will make Shelly's ordeal seem like a gentle pat on the bum."

No one moved. Margaret began.

'October 5th 1831

Carsons delivered the new punishment chair yesterday and I was resolved that Rachel Clements would be the one to christen it.'

"Carsons was the village carpenter and he made the bar horse in the punishment room at the local Squire's expense and then made the oak punishment bench and the whipping frame as payment for taking one of the women as his wife," Margaret explained and then continued with the tale.

'Rachel is the widow of Clem Clements a farm worker gored by a bull. They lived in a tied cottage on the farm and Dick Pawsey the farmer, needed the cottage for another worker and his family so he threw her out a few weeks later. Homeless she came here with her few possessions but so far she hasn't really fitted in, She resents not having her own home and being subjected to our rules.'

"Like some of us," smiled Shelly.

'She's a portly woman with large bosoms and not used to showing her body to others. It took Jack, two ladies and a few strokes of Alice's strap before she would strip for her introduction to the others when she arrived. Jack I know has ploughed her cunnie twice but said it was a struggle to hold her and then he'd had to give her a good hand spanking each time before she settled down. Apart from that she has done what she has been told to do. No more, no less, but she always does it sourly and speaks to the other ladies sharply and in a superior way so they are beginning to shun her.

Fridays being bath day here, in the afternoon the copper in the scullery is filled with water and the fire lit. We set the big tin bath in the kitchen and I use it first, then Alice. Jack follows and then the ladies follow in the order that Alice or I determine. As I have written before, I place great store by personal cleanliness and personally inspect every woman while her body is bathed and especially check her genital areas. This no longer bothers the longer term residents, indeed many open their legs wider than needed and encourage me to play with their cunnies.'

"That sounds like an interesting way to bath," interrupted Kathy.

'Rachel being the latest arrival to the Workhouse, was last to bathe. I could tell she was seething with anger at what I was doing to the others. We added more hot water to the bath as we always do before a new person gets in but she complained the water was filthy from washing all the others. It was indeed somewhat murky but several more at least could have bathed in it so I told her to hold her tongue and get in. Alice's hand was on her strap, which quickened her response. Katherine was doing the washing on this occasion and had done Rachel's hair, face and was working on her titties. Rachel's breasts are in proportion to the rest of her so there is plenty of meat on them but they sag a little. Knowing I like to see a woman's breasts being moved around, Katherine washed them quite vigorously and held them up for my inspection. I gave the teats a squeeze and Rachel growled between closed teeth but didn't say anything. I knew she was holding back her anger but didn't expect her to lash out like she did a few moments later. Katherine continued washing the woman and when she's finished to the feet, as normal she asked Rachel to stand so she could clean her bottom and cunnie. Reluctantly she did so but when I put my fingers inside the bush covering her mound, suddenly her hand flew out and boxed my ears, sending me to the floor. As I stood a little dazed from the blow, I heard Alice call for Jack.'

"Who was Jack?" Kathy enquired.

"He was the assistant master. A big man. Big built and big in the man department according to earlier accounts," Margaret answered. "A bit slow but loyal to Josiah."

"Will we be bathed in the kitchen on Friday?" giggled Sally.

"And be inspected for cleanliness by Jeremy?" added Mary. There was some general laughter at this thought.

Jeremy smiled too, "You wanted realism and we wouldn't want you to go home smelling would we? There's a galvanised bath still hanging in the scullery although I think it is a replacement several times removed from the one used in 1831. The copper still works too. We used it last winter during a power cut."

"As Master of this Workhouse Jeremy, you know you would have to be the first to be washed," Kathy pointed out.

"And Margaret would have to go next," Sally chipped in.

"I suppose tutors go after?" Sarah seemed to be getting into the good humour of the discussion.

"I bags doing the washing," Shelly put her hand up.

"Sounds like you are all keen to show your bodies to each other, or perhaps you do that at other meetings? You sure you are only a craft group?" Jeremy commented, "Perhaps we'll see on Friday how badly you all smell and decide then on the bathing arrangements. Now let Margaret continue with her tale."

'When I had recovered a little and Jack held the woman securely I ordered, "Put her in the whipping frame, and shut the door. We'll leave her to cool down till after dinner." By then I had cooled down a little too and decided not to keep her for birching at the Squire's the next day but to try out the new chair later that evening. I sent word to Reverend Jenkins and the Barker's at the orphanage as they were close by and I knew would enjoy the entertainment. I guessed Jenkins would be especially pleased to see one of the more devout of his congregation naked and whipped.

So we assembled in the punishment room at 8:30. Jack unfastened her from the whipping frame and despite her apologies and pleas we strapped her down over the chair. As Martha had told me, it was an admirable device. It holds a woman with her buttocks at a goodly height and both holes revealed and ready to use. Bent over.'

"Oh my God!" Shelly burst out, suddenly thinking how she must have been displayed to the others.

"Yes, you were well on display Shelly," Stella confirmed, "Both holes revealed and ready to use." Shelly blushed with embarrassment while the others laughed at her.

"Sounds as if I should have arrived earlier," Sarah the tutor laughed, "I missed all the sights."

"You certainly did that," laughed Kathy, "But it might have put you off teaching for the day."

Margaret tried to carry on. 'Bent over with her hands strapped to the front legs a woman's breasts hang down and move nicely when her body reacts to the strap or birch. Rachel's hung like cow's udders and I could see they would do a merry dance later.'

"I think I ought to point out here," Margaret paused in her narrative, "That even for minor punishments where just lifting the skirt would have been sufficient like we did this morning, the ladies were stripped naked. This was partly for humiliation and partly for the sexual delight of the master and his guests. It seems too that the other ladies living here enjoyed it provided it wasn't them that were being punished."

'I pulled on her nipples and in return received a torrent of verbal abuse. "Rachel," I said to her, "You know the rules here do not allow swearing. I think you will now find my toying with your titties is preferable to what I am ordering Alice to do to them now." I nodded to Alice who swung her strap upwards flattening her left breast and eliciting a powerful scream. I could see now why Carsons made the semi-circular cut-outs in the sides of the chair seat. They were just deep enough to allow the tip of Alice's belt to clear the seat and still cover a breast.'

"They hit her boobs!" Shelly exclaimed. "I saw those cut-out and couldn't make out why they were there. It seemed an odd shape for a seat. I wasn't naked though."

"They regularly seem to have whipped the ladies tits," Jeremy commented.

"That must be so painful." Shelly hugged her chest.

"It is but if it is not done overly hard, it does make you horny," Margaret answered.

"You've tried it Margaret?" Shelly asked.

Margaret just nodded and turned back to the journal to stop further questions.

'I could see now why Carsons made the semi-circular cut-outs in the sides of the chair seat. They were just deep enough to allow the tip of Alice's belt to clear the seat and still cover a breast. I wondered if he tested the chair on Janey first. Working alternately from each side, Alice applied three stinging strokes to each pendulous tittie. This really made the woman holler and beg for us to stop. I allowed the other ladies to get a close look and a feel of the reddened titties, which humiliated the woman even more.

I kindly let Rachel rest there for some minutes to recover before starting the real punishment on her arse. "Warm her bum with your strap Alice. Two dozen good ones should do nicely and then I'll use the birch rods. Her bum's large enough to take a good thrashing and she has to learn to behave while she is here." Margaret paused. How would you have liked two dozen good ones Shelly?" Shelly shook her no. 'Alice cracked her strap soundly over the white flesh in front of her instantly changing it to deep red. Rachel bucked and yelled and her titties did indeed dance nicely. The other ladies encouraged Alice to lay it on even harder for they had no love of the woman either. Again we allowed Rachel to have a short rest which gave the onlookers a chance to examine and feel the warmed bottom. Some pushed their fingers into the woman's holes. I didn't discourage them. I wanted her to know she was no better than the others here. I could see the Reverend and Jason Barker had bulges in their breeches so I decided to continue lest they shoot their loads early. Alice had done such a good job with her strap I could see I would not be able to apply too many with the birch without breaking the skin or causing the woman to pass out. Still I was determined she would wear the welts from the birch for a week or two. I thought she might possibly take a dozen with the six-rod birch and this proved true. I welted her flesh from about the knees to the top of her bottom and made sure the tips caught her cunnie several times. At first she screamed so loud she almost deafened us but that soon became hoarse groans and after the twelfth stroke she passed out. Smelling salts brought her round again.

As is courteous, I offered my two male guests first chance to roger her and the Reverent Jenkins took her first, thrusting deeply into her each time. His prick isn't all that large but he rammed it in real hard so his loins slapped forcefully against her arse causing her to cries to ring out once more. Sara sucked him clean.'

"I can see this tale is getting you all horny," smiled Margaret, "So perhaps I should point out the Josiah Winsberly when he came to the workhouse, instituted a rule that women had to suck and clean a man's cock after sex. However, when a woman had been beaten and then raped like Rachel, he deemed in that condition with tears streaming down her face, she didn't do a very good job so one of the onlookers performed that service."

"Urgh! Gross!" Stella groaned and looked disgusted.

"It very pleasing to the man," Jeremy said, "And the women didn't seem to have a problem with it. Certainly it was less painful than refusing."

Margaret again continued. 'Jason decided her bottom hole would suit him better and asked Alice for some dripping which she provided. He lubricated himself and Rachel's hole and thrust in. She was very tight and it took several attempts before he gained entry but once in, he too performed hard and fast causing Rachel to cry out. Gwendolyn his wife, egged him on but he didn't last long before Katherine had to clean him. I decided to go before Jack, as his large prick would make her rather loose. I took her and found her tighter than I expected a widow would be. Perhaps Clem hadn't been poking his rod in as often as he should. Jack immediately followed me and then we released the woman. Alice ordered Jack to carry her to her room but Gwendolyn stopped her saying, "That woman has milked my husband so he won't be able to perform with me tonight or at least till morning so she should service me before she rests." I of course agreed and Gwendolyn sat on the front of a chair, lifted her skirt and exposed her cunnie. I pushed Rachel's face into it and bade her do a good job or she would have be arse warmed again. After a short while Gwendolyn seemed satisfied and pushed her away. Jack then carried the woman to her room and Alice followed to treat her soreness.'

"You got off very lightly Shelly," Kathy remarked.

"It didn't seem like it," retorted Shelly.

"If any of us are punished this week, will we have to strip naked?" Janet asked.

"And be raped afterwards?" giggled Sally.

"I wouldn't dare rape any of you," Jeremy answered, "But if you requested the service beforehand, I would oblige. As to your being naked, I think it would add a bit of spice to it. You'll be showing most of the bits you usually keep hidden anyway, but you would have to decide as a group like you did earlier. It should be decided before anyone gets to be punished. Do you wish to debate it between yourselves or give a show of hands" They decided to debate it.

"Jeremy and I will go and make drinks for everyone and you can discuss it then. One more thing, I can see from your faces that my reading the story has made you horny too. Lesbianism is tolerated here. We will not mind who sleeps with who provided you are down to breakfast on time with your room tidied. Sorry, I'm not loaning Jeremy out. I'll need him."

"Shame on you," Kathy called as Margaret left the room.