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** This is an archived, static copy of the Casebook messages boards dating from 1998 to 2003. These threads cannot be replied to here. If you want to participate in our current forums please go to https://forum.casebook.org **
Social Background
Casebook Message Boards: General Discussion: Miscellaneous:
Social Background
Author: Billy Markland
Wednesday, 23 October 2002 - 03:34 am |        | I found this web site by accident tonight...er, last night..that may be beneficial to any who are interested in the social environment of the London working class. It is the Charles Booth Online Archive hosted by the London School of Economics. The URL follows:
http://booth.lse.ac.uk/
Supposedly it coveres 1886-1903 but the majority of what I have seen is in the mid 90's. Still, it is extremely addictive. Mr. Booth walked many beats with the PCs and described the neighborhoods, streets, and types of people he encountered. Unfortunately, Mr. Booth had terrible handwriting and reading the digitalized pages takes some effort.
Enjoy and don't blame me for staying up too late going through this site!
Billy
P.S. I found his 1889 map published on the web by the University of Michigan at this URL:
http://www.umich.edu/~risotto/home.html |
Author: Scott E. Medine
Wednesday, 23 October 2002 - 04:00 pm | | I ran across thsi site about 6 months ago and I have to agree with Billy, it is a remarkable site.
Well worth the time for any serious researcher.
Peace
Scott |
Author: Billy Markland
Monday, 04 November 2002 - 06:49 am | | I ran into this newspaper article while doing some other research. It is dated Thursday, Sept. 12, 1867 and originates from the Olathe, Ks. Mirror (Vol. 6, No. 35).
LIFE IN LONDON
An English Archbishop in describing London, speaks of a certain district as follows:
"Not half the adults can read. Half the women cannot handle a needle. Our Mother's Meeting has seventy members, half of whom, though living with men and having families, are unmarried, and this is in the proportion throughout the Gentile district. Nine families out of ten have but one small room in which to live, eat, and sleep. Not one family in six possesses a blanket or a change of clothing. Not one in four has bedding beyond a sacking, containing a flock of chopped straw (a miserable substitute for a mattress). Not one in twenty has a clock - not one in ten a book. Many of the houses are in the most wretched condition of dirt and filth - walls, ceiling, floors, and staircases broken and rotting. Drunkenness, brawling, blasphemy, and other sins are fearfully prevalent." |
Author: Christopher T George
Monday, 04 November 2002 - 09:57 am | | Hi, Billy:
Thanks for providing that informative and interesting newspaper excerpt which well describes conditions in London in the later decades of the nineteenth century. In finding this newspaper report, you join such luminaries as Roger Palmer and Michael Conlon, who have done considerable work in finding articles in contemporary American newspapers that have relevance to our study of the Ripper case. Well done and keep up the good work, Billy! 
All the best
Chris |
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