Victorian England: Victorian England: Queen Victoria’s Queen Victoria’s

England England 1837-19011837-1901

A historical connection to A historical connection to

A Christmas Carol A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickensby Charles Dickens

Background on Charles Background on Charles DickensDickens

Born on Feb. 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England His father, John Dickens, was a minor clerk in

the navy offices with a large family (Charles was the second of eight children) and only a moderate income. The family drifted from one poor home in London to another, each shabbier than the last. John Dickens ended up in the prison for an unpaid debt and took his wife and younger children with him.

To help his family Charles worked in a ramshackle warehouse, lived in a garret, and visited his family in prison on Sundays, and felt that his life was shattered before it had begun. (David Copperfield)

Charles DickensCharles Dickens Had only two years of secondary education.Had only two years of secondary education. Never attended college.Never attended college. Did not read any great literature of previous Did not read any great literature of previous

ages.ages. Knew little of history.Knew little of history.

So, how did he become such a great writer?So, how did he become such a great writer?

**He had a keen eye which he used to observe He had a keen eye which he used to observe closely the details of people’s daily lives and a closely the details of people’s daily lives and a keen ear which he used to mimic people’s subtle keen ear which he used to mimic people’s subtle speech patterns. His keen awareness of details speech patterns. His keen awareness of details gave him the basis of his great stories that gave him the basis of his great stories that recreate the realities of those around him.recreate the realities of those around him.

Fashion and Style for Wealthy Fashion and Style for Wealthy Women : Dickens’ Victorian Women : Dickens’ Victorian

LondonLondon

Expectations of Expectations of Proper Victorian Women in Proper Victorian Women in

PublicPublic A lady walks quietly through the streets, seeing and A lady walks quietly through the streets, seeing and

hearing nothing that she ought not to, recognizing hearing nothing that she ought not to, recognizing acquaintances with a courteous bow, and friends with acquaintances with a courteous bow, and friends with words of greeting. She never talks loudly or laughs words of greeting. She never talks loudly or laughs boisterously, or does anything to attract the attention of boisterously, or does anything to attract the attention of the passers-by. She walks along in her own quiet, lady-the passers-by. She walks along in her own quiet, lady-like way, and by her preoccupation is secure from any like way, and by her preoccupation is secure from any annoyance. A true lady in the street, as in the parlor is annoyance. A true lady in the street, as in the parlor is modest, discreet, kind and obliging.modest, discreet, kind and obliging.

It is proper that the lady should first recognize the It is proper that the lady should first recognize the gentleman. A gentleman will never fail to bow in return to gentleman. A gentleman will never fail to bow in return to a lady; but a lady may not feel at liberty to return a a lady; but a lady may not feel at liberty to return a gentleman’s bow, which places him in a rather gentleman’s bow, which places him in a rather unpleasant position. Therefore, a lady should give the unpleasant position. Therefore, a lady should give the first smile or bow. She must refrain, at all times, from first smile or bow. She must refrain, at all times, from using the gentleman’s Christian name.using the gentleman’s Christian name.

Fashion and Style for Fashion and Style for Wealthy MenWealthy Men A real gentleman never swears or

talks uproariously. He should never fail to raise his hat politely to an acquaintance of either sex. If he should bump into someone or step upon a lady’s dress he must "beg their pardon", and at no time should he lose his temper nor attract attention by excited conversation.

It is proper to offer a lady his arm, particularly in the evening and it should always be the right arm. People passing should observe the law of "turn to the right" and in this way the lady would not be jostled. It is always proper for a gentleman walking alone to give the lady or a gentleman with a lady the inside of the walk.

Hobbies of the Victorian Hobbies of the Victorian WealthyWealthyCamping, cycling, horseback

riding, swimming, roller skating, croquet, golf, tennis, billiards, ball room dancing, shooting, hunting, yachting

What did the wealthy do?What did the wealthy do?

The wealthy did not do much besides The wealthy did not do much besides look good and partake in an array of look good and partake in an array of recreational activities.recreational activities.

Their income came from inherited Their income came from inherited lands and investments in the lands and investments in the progressive industries.progressive industries.

Typical earnings=30,000 pounds.Typical earnings=30,000 pounds. *Let’s take a tour of a typical*Let’s take a tour of a typical middle-upper class Victorian home!middle-upper class Victorian home!

http://www.logicmgmt.com/1876/house_tour/ourhouse.htm

The Other End of London: East The Other End of London: East EndEnd London was overcrowded, and the East End London was overcrowded, and the East End

suffered the worse conditions possible due to a suffered the worse conditions possible due to a rise in population of London which could not be rise in population of London which could not be supported with jobs, shelter, and medical supported with jobs, shelter, and medical treatment.treatment.

A London reporter in 1849 writes, “In big, once A London reporter in 1849 writes, “In big, once handsome houses, thirty or more people of all handsome houses, thirty or more people of all ages may inhabit a single room” ages may inhabit a single room”

The Cholera epidemic killed over 6, 000 people in The Cholera epidemic killed over 6, 000 people in London in 1852London in 1852

In an article published on 24th September 1849 a In an article published on 24th September 1849 a London reporter described a London Street with a London reporter described a London Street with a tidal ditch running through it, into which drains tidal ditch running through it, into which drains and sewers emptied. The ditch contained the and sewers emptied. The ditch contained the only water the people in the street had to drink, only water the people in the street had to drink, and it was ‘the colour of strong green tea’, in fact and it was ‘the colour of strong green tea’, in fact it was ‘more like watery mud than muddy water’ it was ‘more like watery mud than muddy water’ Later this dirty water source was said to have Later this dirty water source was said to have been the breeding ground and the spread of been the breeding ground and the spread of cholera.cholera.

In 1850 an inquest was held on a 38 year old In 1850 an inquest was held on a 38 year old man whose body was reported as being little man whose body was reported as being little more than a skeleton, his wife was described as more than a skeleton, his wife was described as being ‘the very personification of want’ and her being ‘the very personification of want’ and her child as a ‘skeleton infant’child as a ‘skeleton infant’

Disease and Malnutrition in Disease and Malnutrition in East EndEast End

Smog from IndustrySmog from Industrycreated unhealthy air all over Londoncreated unhealthy air all over London

Children of East EndChildren of East End ‘‘In 1848 Lord Ashley referred to more than thirty In 1848 Lord Ashley referred to more than thirty

thousand 'naked, filthy, roaming lawless and deserted thousand 'naked, filthy, roaming lawless and deserted children, in and around the metropolis'children, in and around the metropolis'

Many destitute children lived by stealing, and to the Many destitute children lived by stealing, and to the respectable Victorians they must have seemed a very respectable Victorians they must have seemed a very real threat to society. Something had to be done real threat to society. Something had to be done about them to preserve law and order. Thus, public about them to preserve law and order. Thus, public schools were created.schools were created.

Response to The PoorResponse to The Poor The well off seemed to ignore the existence of such The well off seemed to ignore the existence of such

places as East End. They did the same as they did in places as East End. They did the same as they did in their private lives, brushed it under the carpet and their private lives, brushed it under the carpet and hoped it would go away. hoped it would go away.

Quotes from the wealthy of Victorian England:Quotes from the wealthy of Victorian England:-‘the poor were improvident, they wasted any money -‘the poor were improvident, they wasted any money they had on drink and gambling’they had on drink and gambling’-‘God had put people in their place in life and this must -‘God had put people in their place in life and this must not be interfered with because the life after death was not be interfered with because the life after death was more important’ more important’

a hymn published in 1848 by Cecil Frances Alexander a hymn published in 1848 by Cecil Frances Alexander demonstrates that even churches were reinforcing the demonstrates that even churches were reinforcing the negligent attitudes towards the poor:negligent attitudes towards the poor:The rich man in his castle,The rich man in his castle,The poor man at his gate,The poor man at his gate,God made them, high and lowly,God made them, high and lowly,And order’d their estate And order’d their estate

The Solution: The Poor Law of The Solution: The Poor Law of 18341834

Introduced some severe order into the poor legal system Introduced some severe order into the poor legal system of issuing monies collected from taxes to the poor.of issuing monies collected from taxes to the poor.

Declared that poor relief should be granted to able-Declared that poor relief should be granted to able-bodied poor and their dependents only in well-regulated bodied poor and their dependents only in well-regulated workhouses. workhouses.

Called for the grouping of independent parishes into Called for the grouping of independent parishes into unions. Each union, under an elected board of trustees, unions. Each union, under an elected board of trustees, decided how much relief each family or dependent decided how much relief each family or dependent pauper would receive. (Usually, the trustees pocketed pauper would receive. (Usually, the trustees pocketed much of the money granted to the union workhouses and much of the money granted to the union workhouses and forced the poor into a substandard living.)forced the poor into a substandard living.)

Forced the poor to wear pauper uniforms as a symbol of Forced the poor to wear pauper uniforms as a symbol of their inferiority in society and forced the poor to complete their inferiority in society and forced the poor to complete mundane, unproductive tasks for up to 18 hours per daymundane, unproductive tasks for up to 18 hours per day

Robbed the poor of their civil and political rights, Robbed the poor of their civil and political rights, including the right to vote. including the right to vote.

The WorkhousesThe Workhouses Families who did enter the workhouse Families who did enter the workhouse

were broken up, males and females were broken up, males and females were housed in separate sections and were housed in separate sections and not allowed to mix.not allowed to mix.

Bones were crushed by hand to make Bones were crushed by hand to make fertilizer. Sometimes the inmates were fertilizer. Sometimes the inmates were so hungry that they would pick scraps so hungry that they would pick scraps of flesh off the bones and eat it. The of flesh off the bones and eat it. The bones were not all animal bones either! bones were not all animal bones either!

Crime and PrisonsCrime and Prisons Criminal offenses went up from about 5,000 Criminal offenses went up from about 5,000

per year in 1800 to about 20,000 per year in per year in 1800 to about 20,000 per year in 1840. 1840.

90 prisons were built or added to between 1842 90 prisons were built or added to between 1842 and 1877 and 1877

Walking a treadwheel or picking oakum Walking a treadwheel or picking oakum (separating strands of rope) were the most (separating strands of rope) were the most common forms of hard and meaningless labor.common forms of hard and meaningless labor.

Prisoners were not allowed to speak or see any Prisoners were not allowed to speak or see any other people in some prisons. In fact, many other people in some prisons. In fact, many went insane from such harsh treatment.went insane from such harsh treatment.

Children were punished the same as adults until Children were punished the same as adults until 1847 when the courts decided that children 1847 when the courts decided that children under the age of 16 were instead to be sent to under the age of 16 were instead to be sent to reformatory institutions until adulthood.reformatory institutions until adulthood.

Joseph Lewis: Prisoner #5248

Age: 11

Offense: Larceny

Sentence: 1 month in prison

Walking the Treadwheel