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Eradicating
Filth: Public Health in Victorian Times
Timeline
of events 1777 - 1900 |
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1777-1848 |
Wolverhampton
Township Commissioners were established in 1777. By the time the borough
council was established in 1848 the town faced major health problems. Click
here for more |
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1832 |
Cholera
epidemic - almost 5% (800) of Bilston's population lose their lives. Click
here for more |
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1841 |
Census
figures show the population of Wolverhampton
is 36,382; Bilston 20,180;
Wednesfield 3,168 and Willenhall
8,695.
Click on the names of the towns and cities to find out more. |
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1843 |
Report
to The Commissioners on the Employment of Children published. Click
here for more |
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1844 |
Royal
Commission for the Inquiry on the Sanitary State of Large Towns and Populous
Districts 1844 or Chadwick Report. Click
here for more |
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1848/9 |
Further
cholera outbreak - approximately 500 die in Wolverhampton. Click
here for more |
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1848 |
Public
Health Act passed. Click
here for more |
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1849
- 1851 |
Problems
with pollution and health hazards at Bilston Brook reported. Click
here for more |
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1849 |
Report
to the General Board of Health on a Preliminary Inquiry into Sewerage, Drainage,
and the Supply of Water, and the Sanitary Conditions of the Inhabitants
of the Borough of Wolverhampton, and the Townships of Bilston, Willenhall,
and Wednesfield Produced by Robert Rawlinson: Government Inspector and Civil
Engineer.
Click here for more
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1850 |
Wolverhampton
Borough Council defines the roles of its committees to tackle health concerns.
Click here for more |
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1851 |
Tyhpus
fever reported at Gibbet Lane, Bilston.
Click here for more |
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1852 |
Bilston
Medical Officer of Health's report published.
Click here for more |
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1853 |
Opening
of Bilston Public Baths and washhouse 24th September. Click
here for more |
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1855-1866 |
Following
Rawlinson's report, between 1855 and 1866 five schemes for sewering Wolverhampton
are produced.
Click here for more
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1855 |
Mr
Rose of Liverpool is given the contract for the removal of night soil from
the town. Click here for
more |
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1856 |
A
Joint Sanitary Committee is formed between Heath Town and Wednesfield Heath
- the first form of local government for the area. Click
here for more |
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1861 |
Bilston
Sanitary and Streets Committee receives a report about the 'disgracefully
filfthly' state of Pinfold.
Click here for more |
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1866 |
Sanitary
Act passed. Click here for
more |
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1871/2 |
Smallpox
kills 446 in Wolverhampton. Click
here for more |
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1872 |
Scarlet
fever kills 224 in Wolverhampton.
Click here for more |
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1872 |
The
Public Health Act establishes sanitary authorities in rural and urban areas
who appointed medical officers of health (MoH). |
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1872 |
Wolverhampton
appoints Vincent Jackson as its first (temporary) medical officer of health. |
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1874 |
The
Ballard Report entitled: Report to the Local Government Board on the Sanitary
Condition of the Municipal Borough of Wolverhampton is published.
Click here for more
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1875 |
Artisan's
Dwelling Act passed which aids the clearance of slums |
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1881 |
Census
figures reveal Wolverhampton's population has more than doubled since 1841
rising from 36,382 to 75,766. Click
here for more |
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1886 |
Annual
report of the Medical Officer of Health report published |
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1873 |
Fever
and scarletina raised as concerns in Bilston.
Click here for more |
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1887 |
Henry
Malet the Medical Officer of Health for Wolverhampton publishes his annual
report to the Sanitary Committee, entitled Sanitary Condition of the Borough
of Wolverhampton: Click
here for more |
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1886 |
Heath
Town Medical Officer's report published |
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1890 |
Measles
outbreak at Bushbury. Click
here for more |
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1897 |
Over
150 people die from diarrhea in Wolverhampton |
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1900 |
Dr
Ridley Bailey of Wolverhampton publishes his last report of the 19th century
outlining health issues which still need to be tackled.
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