Eradicating Filth: Public Health in Victorian Times


Bilston | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

On 22nd September 1852 the Town Commissioners announced the building of a new baths and Washhouse in Bilston.

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Wolverhampton Chronicle 22nd September 1852

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Baths and Washhouses, Bilston, The Builder, 18th September 1852 (LB7972p)

As one can see from the plan the baths and washhouses catered for both men and women. Each had separate entrances in order to keep the sexes apart.

The baths contained not only a swimming pool but also cubicles with individual baths for washing: in the 1850's, and indeed until well into the twentieth century, it was uncommon for the working class home to have its own bath with running hot and cold water.

The baths also provided facilities for the washing of clothes. It is interesting to note that the sinks and other washing facilities are located on the female side of the baths, the washing of clothes being considered women's work in the nineteenth century.

A comment must be raised however about the caption printed over the picture of the Baths.

It was obviously written by a person who was not familiar with the geography of the Black Country of which Bilston is a part.

It is a rare Bilstonian who would claim Bilston is near to Birmingham, since Birmingham (or Brumigum as it is familiarly called in the Black Country) is in fact a number of miles away!

The baths were duly opened on Wednesday 24th September 1853

Wolverhampton Chronicle 31st September 1853

The extract points out that:

The hopes of Rev Owen that "one or two hundred people would leave the baths the next day with cleaner skins", had been proved correct, as crowds besieged the doors.

Oxford Street, Bilston 1961 (C1/OXFO/0/1)

On the 15th July 1861 the Sanitary and Streets Committee were informed about the "disgracefully filthy state"* of Pinfold, Bilston. In response, the Committee instructed the Inspector of Nuisances to investigate.

*Minute Book of the Township Commissioners of Bilston, Sanitary and Streets Committee 1857-1867 (TC-BIL/1/2/13)

Pinfold Street, Bilston 1956 (C1/PINF/0/1)

At the meeting of the Town Commissioners on 19th February 1873 a letter was read from the Local Government Board concerning fever and scarlatina in the township. This matter was referred to the Sanitary Committee with instructions to prepare a reply.*

*Minute Book of the Township Commissioners of Bilston (TC-BIL/1/2/13)

On the 19th March 1873 the Town Commissioners received a reply from the Sanitary Committee. The reply stated that,

"the Surveyor and Sub-Inspector of Nuisances had visited 44 out of the 52 houses where the illness prevailed and found them with two exceptions satisfactory".*

*Minute Book of the Township Commissioners of Bilston (TC-BIL/1/2/13)

By the end of the nineteenth century, even though a great deal had been done to solve the problems associated with public health, there was still much to do.

The Medical Officer of Health for Bilston, Dr Ridley Bailey complained in his report for 1900 that sewerage in parts of the town was in a bad state, some of the sewers were old and needed replacing. There was overcrowding and a lack of fresh air and sunlight and dampness and dirt were still a problem.

There may have been improvements in the state of the town, but the battle against disease had not yet been won.

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