19th Century London Problems Flashcards
What was the problem with londons governance?
- had no single governing body
- except city of London corporation who were ineffective and “defied the March of improvement”
- Londoners lived in 90 parishes over 3 counties which were run by vestries
- the corporation denied needing help from national reforms
What caused spatial segregation?
Suburbanisation
How much did London grow by?
1.5 million in the first half of the century
Why did London grow out instead of up
Aristocratic land owners controlled the housing market and wanted to maintain expensive housing
When did segregation peak and why?
1861 because the poor were unable to afford transport from the suburbs to work in the inner city
How did slum clearances worsen the housing situation?
Caused major displacement
Quote from the times 1861
“The poor are displaced but they are not removed… you may pull down their wretched homes; they must find others - and make their new dwellings more wretched than the old ones”
Why were slums cleared?
To build new streets, rail stations and docks. To speed up traffic and let in light
Eg new Oxford street was built through st Giles rookery
London docks destroyed 1300 houses
Private rail companies had no obligation to rehouse
What was the 1851 Shaftsbury Act?
It helped authorities build working class houses but had limited effect because authorities didn’t want to house the poor themselves and private developers wanted higher profits
What were Prince Alberts flats?
A charitable housing alternative but they were very limited
Godwin 1849 quote
“People have been drawn from dwellings destroyed and huddled into any corner they could put their head into… from sheer want of any dwelling within reach of their work”
What was the problem with London not having a London-wide government?
There was no cross-subsidisation between rich and poor districts
Why were the poor unlikely to benefit from philanthropic housing?
There was a mismatch between areas of need and areas of supply
Philanthropic housing agencies avoided the poorest parts of London because they reckoned the population was too ill-disciplined to allow even a modest return on investment
What Victorian values didn’t help matters?
They believed in a laissez-faire economy
Self help
Personal responsibility
A distaste for state intervention
Why did London grow so fast?
People thought they would be able to earn more in London and it offered more opportunities than anywhere else in the country
