What was dickens London like?

Answer 1

The first things you'd notice if you were transported back to Dickens's London would be the smell and the noise. Both were almost overwhelming. There was no system for the removal of waste and refuse, so for the most part it went into the streets and eventually into the River Thames. A few streets were cobbled or paved but most were mud, combined with horse excrement. (I'll never understand why women insisted on wearing long skirts in those conditions.) There was no law about or even tacit understanding between drivers to drive to the right, so the streets were a never-ending tangle of carts, carriages and horses. Drawings of the day show a horrifying mess. If you were wealthy-and it was a small percentage-you could afford to keep a carriage and the horses required, which amounted to quite an expense, and was a sign of status. You had more servants in the house than members of your family, since servants were incredible cheap to hire and keep. Even the poor usually had a girl-of-all-work. If you were poor but lucky, you had a solid roof over your head, even if you shared it with other families. You walked wherever you went or, in cases of emergency, you took a bus much like ours today, just behind drawn horses. Your food was basic and unsavory; the fortunate poor could have meat once a week. The very poor slept in the gutter (called 'kennels') or doorways or whatever makeshift cover you could find. Orphaned and homeless boys roamed the streets like feral children, getting by through petty theft. Wealthy children were often snatched off the streets, stripped of their fine clothes and set free; the clothes could be sold, so they were much more valuable than the child. Of course, this is only a rundown of conditions in Victorian London. It's a fascinating study.

Answer 2

Victorian England changed life in the country by increasing the middle class. Previously the wealth was mainly held by landed gentry and aristocrats. However, the factories as well as the professions produced wealthy middle class citizens who in many cases mimicked the aristocrats. However, while the life of the middle class improved, in many ways the life of the poor got even worse. Housing was subpar, and children as young as six years old, worked in factories to help their families. Crime increased, and many succumbed to vices such as drink, prostitution, domestic violence and child abuse.

Answer 3

The population of London grew from 16.8 million in 1851, to 30.5 million in 1901.

Answer 4

poor, dirty and hard

Answer 5

hell