I came across this expression recently; never heard it before. I've looked it up and found it quite interesting.
I read it in a book first published in 1948. The context has nothing to do with workhouses/prisons. A woman has very difficult problem to solve and she says: ”I have been picking oakum for the last week”.
Do you ever pick oakum?
sticky labels on apples - remove before washing!
To obliterate your address on packaging
Tales about "stingy" guests and hosts.