BRIEF HISTORY DURING THE SNOW ERA (1813-58)

In the manner of epidemiology, John Snow assembled many individual observations on the cholera epidemic of 1854 to understand the complex picture.  He focused on workhouses.  They contained poor persons who could not find employment but need financial assistance to live.  The houses were usually supplied by single sources of water from one of two companies.  By 1854, the Lambeth Waterworks Company provided much cleaner water than the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company. More details on these two water companies is provided elsewhere. 

Snow wrote:

"Whilst making inquiries in the south districts of London, I learned some circumstances with respect to the workhouses which deserve to be noticed."

- Snow, John. Communication of Cholera, 1855, pp. 91

NEWINGTON WORKHOUSE

"In Newington Workhouse, containing 650 inmates, and supplied with the water from Thames Ditton [the upriver location of the Lambeth Waterworks Company not polluted by tidal flows], there had been but two deaths from cholera amongst the inmates down to 21st September, when the epidemic had already greatly declined."   

- Snow, John. Communication of Cholera, 1855, pp. 91

LAMBETH WORKHOUSE

"In Lambeth Workhouse, containing, if I remember rightly, nearly 1,000 inmates, and supplied with the same water, there had been but one death amongst the inmates when I was there in the first week of September."  

- Snow, John. Communication of Cholera, 1855, pp. 91

The workhouse is not labeled in the 1859 map but is located in the lower center of Q 19, below the large letters "E W."  The large workhouse is clearly seen in the more detailed map of 1871.

ST. SAVIOUR'S WORKHOUSE

"In St. Saviour's workhouse, which is situated in the parish of Christchurch, and is supplied with water by the Lambeth Company, no inmate died of cholera before I called in the first week of September." 

- Snow, John. Communication of Cholera, 1855, pp. 91

The workhouse in on Marlborough Street to the west of Nelson Square.  It is identified on the 1859 map as "Work Ho."  In N 19, only "rk" and "o" are seen, with the workhouse being just to the left of "Marlb."  The workhouse is clearly seen as St. Saviour's Union Workhouse in the 1872 map.

ST. GEORGE WORKHOUSE

"On the other hand, in the workhouse of St. George, Southwark, supplied with the water of the Southwark and Vauxhall Company, six inmates died out of about 600 before the 26th August, when the epidemic had only run one-third of its course."

- Snow, John. Communication of Cholera, 1855, pp. 91

The St. George's Workhouse is on Mint Street.  It is not identified on the 1859 map but is seen in the lower left corner of N 21 between "een" for Queen Street and "nt" for Mint Street.  By 1872, the workhouse changed administration and was renamed the St. Saviour's Union Workhouse, is seen on the 1872 map.

ST. OLAVE'S WORKHOUSE

"The mortality was also high amongst the inmates of St. Olave's Workhouse, supplied with water by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company, but I do not know the number who died."

- Snow, John. Communication of Cholera, 1855, pp. 91-2

The workhouse in the 1859 map is not identified in N 23 but is located to the right of "a" in Parish Street at the lower right corner of the square.  Great details are presented in the 1872 map.

More historical reflections on the epidemic of 1853-4 are in part 3 of John Snow's book.