London in the 19th century: November 2011

Sources

http://mural.uv.es/cehevi/victorianlondon.html

http://www.victorianlondon.org/houses/slums.htm

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourwardfamily.com%2Fvictorian_london.htm&h=dAQFET6ZH

http://www.aboutbritain.com/articles/victorian-society.asp

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/1806_Mogg_Pocket_or_Case_Map_of_London,_England_-_Geographicus_-_London-mogg-1806.jpg

http://www.fidnet.com/~dap1955/dickens/dickens_london.html

divided along financial lines
rich: first governess
boys later: boarding school
girls later: learning sewing, singing etc.
middle class:Victorian schools (if affordable, otherwise charity schools
poor: begging from the age of five
Campaigners like Charles Dickens fought against it (Oliver Twist)
→ 1870: education mandatory for children from 5 to 12 years
before 1850: often 1 teacher for 100 pupils
Bible: textbook to learn how to read
later: moral tales because the bible was to difficult
discipline highly enforced
corporal punishment

Police

In 1829 the prime minister Robert Peel created London's first police force the Metropolitan police (later known as Scotland Yard) to handle law and order in areas outside the City proper

Because of the founder of the Metropolitan police the policemen are called “peelers” or “bobbies” till this day

Religion

· deeply religious (Anglican)

· hold of religion began to lessen by the end of the century because of…

o …the expansion of careers

o …the growing scientific doubt

· Both major parties only admitted Anglicans -> members of other religions had no guarantee for religious liberty

Fashion

· 1851: Invention of sewing machine -> mass production

· Still a lot of customization

WOMEN

· Very elegant

· Dresses etc. often trimmed with lace, braid and fringes

· Influenced by French fashion

· Corsets

· Arms and legs covered

· Skirts supported by a frame: crinoline

· Fur muffs and felt hats in winter

· Parasols and bonnets in summer

· Often: gloves and fan

· Human hair in jewellery

· High-top laced shoes (soft leather)

MEN:

· Black dress coat or waistcoats

· White vest

· Black trousers (doeskin)

· Younger men: blue coat, white vest, lavender pants

· Always matching handkerchiefs and gloves

· pocket hat (theatre or travelling) or silk top hat

· walking stick

· high buttoned shoes

Gentlemen's club

· exclusively for men

· gambling dens

· main attraction: snob appeal

Diseases and Health

· Some reasons for diseases:

o Indecent housing

o Overcrowding

o Poverty

o Lack of garbage disposal

o Contaminated water supplies (Great stink)

· Cholera

o First outreak in 1832

o 7000 people died

o 3 more outbreaks in this century

· Joseph Balzagette: first sewage system–> death rate sank

· Infant mortality: 25% of infants died –> care moved to hospitals

Child Labour

· Children expected to help towards family budget

· Often worked long hours, dangerous jobs – little wages (coal mine)

Middle Class

· At least one servant

· Servants like butlers or housekeepers

· Having a profession: Shopkeepers, doctors, nurses, schoolmasters, priests

· Only different between upper- and middle class: amount of money

· Upper- and middle class mingle

(tradesman à prominent upper member)

The Rich

· Do’s & Don’ts

· Social ostracism paramount

· Women – marriage, present husband, charity work accepted

· Parties, dances, visits, dressmakers, tailors

The Poor

· London city of poverty – “Poor East End”

· Millions lived in overcrowded slums

· 25% at/below subsistence level

· Workhouses

· Many immigrants (e.g. from Ireland)

· Large families

· 80% workig class

Families

· larger families

· father: head of the family

· wife and children had to obey him

· until 1882:all a woman’s property belonged to her husband

· 1857: legalization of divorce

Colonies of England

Working and trading

World's largest manufacturing centre:
greatest port → trading all over the world (i.e. tea)
→ cafés and pubs at the port to cater
greatest financial centre
80% of the population working class
a lot of immigration(mostly from Ireland)→ overcrowding
due to industrial revolution: low wages, easy jobs in factories for the children
The Factory act of 1833
child labour laws
The 1876 Education act