Class Blog

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Chelsea: Connecting East and West London

~ Jordana Jampel

Screen Shot 2015-09-10 at 12.43.45 AMLocated in the northwestern region of London, Chelsea was a predominantly well-off and bustling neighborhood that revolved around Chelsea Rd. and the Chelsea Rd. Bridge. In “A Lost Masterpiece,” the main character (who remains nameless) makes his way to the Chelsea wharf and there loads a steamer to travel east up the Thames River. Interestingly enough, Chelsea’s wharves were the first ferry transportation portals along the Thames River, which made Chelsea a fast-developing part of London. In 1816, the steamboat was introduced to the Thames River and by the 1830’s steamboat traffic was  booming, especially between Chelsea Bridge and London Bridge. Not only did the town of Chelsea serve as a gateway due to the many wharves that popped up along the Thames, but the Chelsea Bridge also became one of the most used roads/highways by this time as well, as it connected the Royal Hospital to the rest of London .

The Chelsea Bridge was erected sometime during the 15th century, under the name Battersea Bridge, but with the introduction of auto-transportation, Chelsea’s reputation of being a travel hub continually grew. With so much access to and from Chelsea, it seems as though during the Victorian Era, and probably the eras to follow as well, Chelsea was a major part of London that really allowed Londoners to use the Thames River for travel. The article, “The parish of Chelsea: Communication,” explains, “in 1844 eight steamboats travelled between London Bridge and Chelsea, four times an hour, and traffic was increasing. Chelsea vestry saw steamboats – quick, cheap, and comfortable – as potentially the common transport of residents of the densely-populated shore.” Egerton’s main character makes this journey in “A Lost Masterpiece,” which is significant because Chelsea Bridge and wharf is what connects the Western wealthy end of London to the slummy, factory ridden east end. The Booth Poverty map shows that during the Victorian era, the areas in and around Chelsea were populated well-to-do- middle-classers, while the area around London Bridge is shaded to indicate the poverty and crime. Chelsea’s bringing together of the contrasting regions of London is also apparent in the way the main character describes his observations once getting off the steamer by London Bridge. He does not see the filth and poverty surrounding him, rather finds the east-end of London delightful and curious:

“The youth played mechanically, without a trace of emotion; whilst the harpist, whose nose is a study in purples and whose bloodshot eyes have the glassy brightness of drink, felt every touch of beauty in the poor little tune, and drew it tenderly forth. They added the musical note to my joyous mood ; the poetry of the city dovetailed harmoniously with country scenes too recent to be treated as memories—and I stepped off the boat with the melody vibrating through the city sounds.”

Although his main character sees the industrial area through an optimistic lens, Egerton’s mention that the music was played mechanically and without emotion is indicative of the actual situation and quality of life that was present in the eastern portion of London. Although the music the main character hears adds more joy to his already joyous mood, the way in which the music is produced is melancholy and representative of the proletariat’s factory labor, which only benefits the bourgeoisie, as the sad music only benefited the seemingly wealthier observing character. Through his mention of Chelsea, especially as the port town the main character uses to access the slums, Egerton is calling attention and awareness to the two extremely opposing “Londons” within the City of London.

 

Works Cited

Booth, Charles. “Booth Poverty Map & Modern Map (Charles Booth Online Archive).” Booth Poverty Map & Modern Map (Charles Booth Online Archive). London School of Economics & Political Science, n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2015.

Egerton, George [Mary Chavelita Dunne Bright]. “A Lost Masterpiece.” The Yellow Book 1 (Apr. 1894): 189-96.The Yellow Nineties Online. Ed. Dennis Denisoff and Lorraine Janzen Kooistra. Ryerson University, 2010. Web. 09 Sept. 2015.

‘Settlement and building: From 1680 to 1865, Chelsea Village or Great Chelsea’, in A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 12, Chelsea, ed. Patricia E C Croot (London, 2004), pp. 31-40. Web. 09 Sept. 2015.

‘The parish of Chelsea: Communications’, in A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 12, Chelsea, ed. Patricia E C Croot (London, 2004), pp. 2-13. Web. 09 Sept. 2015.

 

Waterloo Place

~ zogbie1

Waterloo Place

 “And before he had time to speak she had slipped away, and the omnibus was turning ruthlessly down Waterloo Place.” “In Dull Brown”, Evelyn Sharp, 185

 

The story is all about transition, or attempted transition. Waterloo Place is only mentioned once in the entirety of the story, because it only needs to be mentioned once. The landmark itself acts as the transition between Jean leaving the bus for her stop at Picadilly Circus and him staying on the bus to wait for his stop, which comes later. Waterloo Place itself is a transitional place because of its reconstruction and it being almost a bridge between Regent Street and St. James Park. Edward Walford states in his article, “Waterloo Place and Her Majesty’s Theatre”, which can be found on British History, that around “the year 1815, some low and mean houses that stood between the market and Pall Mall were demolished…in order to form the broad and spacious thoroughfares of Lower Regent Street and Waterloo Place.” It now contains many statues and war memorials, such as “the Duke of York’s Column, the Guards’ Memorial, which was erected from the designs of Mr. John Bell… three bronze figures, representing a Grenadier, a Fusilier, and one of the Coldstream Guards” (Walford). Towards the East of the square is Her Majesty’s Theatre, or the Opera House, and “and extends north and south from Charles Street to Pall Mall” (Walford).

 

waterloo1

 

Waterloo Place used to be a poverty stricken area before it was entirely erased and rebuilt, all traces of filth and socioeconomic struggle conveniently removed from the architecture, designed by a Mr. Nash. As it’s shown on the Charles Booth online archive, in the years between 1898 to 1899, Waterloo Place was surrounded by middle class, upper middle class, and wealthy people.

 

Waterloo Place 1898-99

Jean wants to keep her origin a secret from him just like Waterloo Place wants to keep its origin secret from all of London It doesn’t want anyone to know that it came from slums and poverty and was torn town and rebuilt into wealth and stature.

Websites used:

 

Piccadilly Street

~ Josh

Piccadilly street happens to be a street on the west end of London that connects to the east via the river smack in the middle of London but is closest to the North. On this street there happens to be a high concentration of burglaries and murders that occur frequently.

According to the Old Bailey online database, there a many article references that explain various situations in which people have been mugged or murdered along that street; some of the crimes were committed by workers themselves, and others by children. In one instance, an 11 year old boy came into a shoemakers shop and took some boots. As the shoemaker chased him out, many witnesses had stopped the boy from escaping and once the boy was caught he went to trial. That boy was on trial until age 13 when they finally locked him away for 7 years (is that harsh in this time period? Um, yes, he was a boy who stole once, and he was in prison for 7 years). But on this database there are many other instances in which these events and everyday crimes ensued, and these crimes were apparently taken very seriously.

The murder instances are also prominent: In one article, a man was driving over the speed limit, but no more than he did every day, meaning, he always drove over the limit, but now it seemed to be a big deal and get on everybody’s nerves. Anyway, this man was confronted by a bystander  decided he shouldn’t be allowed to drive anymore, but instead of reporting him, he beats him up, break his legs and leave him to die. A local surgeon came to help him by bringing him inside and preparing to operate, but in the end, the man died. Quite a harsh article, and very prominent in today’s society especially surrounding all the cold blooded murders that happen in contemporary America. But the man responsible for his death was indicted and sent to prison; that man was 18.

I suppose this all connects to “Dull Brown” because of the oppression and never ending violence that occurred. The murders and burglaries are prominent in this era and specifically in this location; but they leave a lasting mark on society as it leaves a trail of uncertainty and horror to the inhabitants. Furthermore, I am sure that since this is on the West end, the richer end, the people are even more worried than usual since there are places in such districts that occur, thus threatening the lifestyle and safety of all the rich. But I believe that this is to be expected, especially since this was an era that was vibrant and revolutionized, as well as “dull”. In this story, Jean talks about how unlovable the unattractive people are and how separating their lives from her own is for the best, which could mean, those that are poor and steal possibly get what they deserve in her eyes. She is aware of the pain and suffering that is prominent in London but she chooses to ignore it since it doesn’t concern her. But as put before, the effects of such a society can last an impression on those who are not affected, and create a negative effect, just as it did in this story. I guess the lesson is, dull and brown, is as bad as violent and poor, if there is no balance between them. At least that is what I think.Untitled  This is my screenshot of Piccadilly Circus. Looks like a nice street.

A contemporary image of Piccadilly Circus.

Works Cited:

“The Proceedings of the Old Bailey.” Results. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2015

“The Yellow Nineties Online – Search the Archive.” The Yellow Nineties Online – Search the Archive. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oxford Street: “In Dull Brown”

~ Ashley Schluter
Oxford Street / Oxford circus
Oxford Street / Oxford circus

In the story “In Dull Brown” by Evelyn Sharp, Oxford Street plays a huge role. The story takes place among a few different streets, one of which is Oxford Street. Oxford Street was a shopping district in Victorian London. It was home to over two-hundred guilty theft charges over a span of 50 years.1 Located in the west end of London the street, other than the thefts, was a popular place. The street contains the Oxford/Regent circus which is also a detail in the story. From west to east the road crosses Regent Street, Berners Street and turns into New Oxford Street.
qwert

Oxford Street “…consisted almost uniformly of modest, irregular Georgian houses with shop fronts; only at the very west end close to Park Lane, where there was a scatter of substantial private houses and their outbuildings…”.2 This quote explains a little bit more about the importance of the dull brown dress Jean is originally wearing. The understated dress against the understated background would normally be unnoticed. Also it explains the comment, “That comes of the simple russet gown,” she thought ; “of course he thinks I am a little shop-girl.”

“They had reached the corner of Berners Street, and she came to a standstill”, the streets Jean and Tom are on and cross are important not only because of setting but also because of the historical aspects of their location. Jean mentions Tom walking to business which is relative to the shopping district. This area of London was not poverty stricken, was not industrial, instead it was a district of moderate wealth and fashion forward ideas. Buckingham Palace is accessible through Green Park, which Tom and Jean later meet in after winter passes.

Today, Oxford Street is still a shopping district and is home to some very famous and very expensive retailers such as Dior and Louis Vuitton.

Sharp, Evelyn. “In Dull Brown.” The Yellow Book 8 (January 1896): 181-200. The Yellow Nineties Online. Ed. Dennis Denisoff and Lorraine Janzen Kooistra. Ryerson University, 2012. Web. [Date of access]. http://1890s.ca/HTML.aspx?s=YBV8_sharp_dull.html

  1. ‘Oxford Street: Introduction.’ Survey of London: Volume 40, the Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair, Part 2 (The Buildings). Ed. F H W Sheppard. London: London County Council, 1980. 171. British History Online. Web. 8 September 2015. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol40/pt2/p171.
  2. 2. 115 guilty verdicts for theft 1800-1819, 292 guilty 1771 – 1819 -old Bailey proceedings, as found through http://www.locatinglondon.org/

Chancery Lane

~ Jasmine Torres

Chancery Lane

Using the Booth Poverty Map, I figured out that Chancery Lane was a Middle Class area. This probably has to do with the buildings that were in the area. On the Lane there were several banks, a Law Institute, and  Records Office. However, not too far away there was a poor area, which the website described as people who lived off of 18-21 shillings a week. Using the Old Bailey, I discovered that many highway robberies occurred on Chancery Lane, most likely due to the fact that it was a “well-to-do” area that was close a slightly poorer area. When searching through the categories, I also noticed that there were more Violent Thefts than regular Thefts. Again, this has to do with the class difference in the area that made the middle class a big target. I also found on the page for the Maughan Library that Chancery Lane was the heart of legal London, which explains the buildings that were on it as well as the population that lived there. People who worked in the legal system could afford to be closer to their jobs as we learned in a previous class. With it being the heart of legal London, that also explains the environment. This ties into how Chancery Lane was mentioned in “A Lost Masterpiece”.

In the story “A Lost Masterpiece”, Chancery Lane is only mentioned once.

“A woman, a little woman, was hurrying along in a most remarkable way. It annoyed me, for I could not help wondering why she was in such a desperate hurry.”

This gave me the image of a very busy woman hurrying along, perhaps on her way to a court or office. This definitely is in place with the the middle class population of the area. They don’t have time to wander around, because they aren’t comfortable like the upper class nor are they struggling like the lower class.

Works Cited

Banerjee, Jacqueline. “The Maughan Library, King’s College London (formerly the Public Record Office) by Sir James Pennethorne.” The Maughan Library, King’s College London (formerly the Public Record Office) by Sir James Pennethorne. The Victorian Web, 15 June 2015. Web. 08 Sept. 2015.

Booth, Charles. “Booth Poverty Map & Modern Map (Charles Booth Online Archive).” Booth Poverty Map & Modern Map (Charles Booth Online Archive). London School of Economics & Political Science, n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2015.

Egerton, George [Mary Chavelita Dunne Bright]. “A Lost Masterpiece.” The Yellow Book 1 (Apr. 1894): 189-96.The Yellow Nineties Online. Ed. Dennis Denisoff and Lorraine Janzen Kooistra. Ryerson University, 2010. Web. 08 September 2015. http://www.1890s.ca/HTML.aspx?s=YBV1_egerton_masterpiece.html

“Roger Johnson, Violent Theft Highway Robbery, 4th December 1730.” The Proceedings of the Old Bailey. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2015.

Waterloo Place

~ Katie Vyas

Katelynn Vyas

 

In the article entitled, “Waterloo Place and Her Majesty’s Theatre” by Edward Walford, from the “British History”, Waterloo Place was as complex as Victorian life itself.  The layout of Waterloo Place was designed by architect Mr. Nash.  It intersects at Pall Mall and is conjoined with Regent Street.  Around the year 1815 “low and mean houses” or “filthy dwellings” were demolished to create an area that would later come to be referred to as Waterloo Place and Lower Regent Street.  Described as a “spacious” place in which to live and relax, Waterloo Place is perhaps most famous for being connected to Regent’s Park which is described as having “elegant villas, and as being encircled by rows of houses of noble elevation.”  It is likely Waterloo Place was a highly appointed location. It had beautiful in architect, timeless design and befitted the upper class (Walford. “British Histories”).

The significance of Waterloo Place in the story “In Dull Brown” by writer Evelyn Sharp, taken from the book entitled The Yellow Book, is Sharp’s description of her “journey” on the omnibus.  Sharp, who “is going to teach three children all sorts of things they don’t want to learn a bit”, identifies the stops along the route of the omnibus while in route to Waterloo Place, which includes Green Park and Piccadilly Circus Station.  The adjoining areas were designed to accommodate the upper class (Sharp.185).  Due in part to its unique configuration, Waterloo Place is what we would consider a “square”.  The street and those that intersect it are well appointed with five statues and two large monuments.  They include the “Guards Monument” and the “Duke of York” as situated at the end of Waterloo Place and the intersection of Carlton Garden.  The five statues depict renowned British figures.  They stand in quiet solitude and are: The Sir John Franklin Statue, The Burgoyne Statue, The Lord Lawrence Statue, The Lord Clyde Statue, and The Lord Napier of Magdala Statue (Victorian Google Maps).   Waterloo Place is also well-known for the Athenaeum Club, an erudite association that is located across from The United Service Club and a bank.
Sharp is likened herself to the setting of Waterloo Place.  Although the historical significance of the statues is recorded in time, they stand for those who refuse to acknowledge their origins as insignificant details of history.  Some individuals find them to be inconsequential and choose not to learn about them.  And like the statues who stand in quiet solitude Sharp realizes that on her daily journeys to and from her teaching assignment it is acceptable for her to assume a posture of quiet solitude among the masses with whom she mingles.Sharp is likened herself to the setting of Waterloo Place.  Although the historical significance of the statues is recorded in time, they stand for those who refuse to acknowledge their origins as insignificant details of history.  Some individuals find them to be inconsequential and choose not to learn about them.  And like the statues who stand in quiet solitude Sharp realizes that on her daily journeys to and from her teaching assignment it is acceptable for her to assume a posture of quiet solitude among the masses with whom she mingles.

far left- The Athenaeum
The Athenaeum to the far left

The Athenaeum Club, which appears to the left, is located on the corner of Waterloo Place (Ward. “Victorian Web”).  According to the “British Histories” in the article entitled “Pall Mall, South Side, Exiting Buildings: The United Service Club, The Athenaeum”, this scholarly club was established in 1815 and came to fruition in 1825.  It was conceptualized by John Wilson Croker as a gathering place for individuals known for their intellectual contributions to British society in the areas of literature, science, artistic accomplishments and who valued patrons of these endeavors.  Affiliates were best known for their: inherited prominence, distinguished social positions, and scholarly influence.  The club: both in concept and reality was highly efficacious. Other like-minded organizations succeeded the Athenaeum Club and replicated it in principal.  The United Service Club was a highly successful army and navy gentlemen’s club that serviced senior officers (“British Histories”).

 

 

 

 

Works cited

‘Pall Mall, South Side, Existing Buildings: The United Service Club, The Athenaeum.’ Survey of

London: Volumes 29 and 30, St James Westminster, Part 1. Ed. F H W Sheppard. London: London County Council, 1960. 386-399. British History Online. Web. 3 September 2015. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vols29-30/pt1/pp386-399.

Sharp, Evelyn. “In Dull Brown.” The Yellow Book 8 (January 1896): 181-200. The Yellow

Nineties Online.Ed. Dennis Denisoff and Lorraine Janzen Kooistra. Ryerson University,

  1. Web. 7 September 2015. http://1890s.ca/HTML.aspx?s=YBV8_sharp_dull.html

“Victorian Google Maps.” Victorian GoogleMaps. Google, n.d. Web. 05 Sept. 2015.

Walford, Edward. ‘Waterloo Place and Her Majesty’s Theatre.’ Old and New London: Volume 4.

London: Cassell, Petter & Galpin, 1878. 206-216. British History Online. Web. 8 September 2015. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol4/pp206-216.

Ward, Humphry. History of the Athenaeum, 1824-1925. London: Printed for the Club, 1926.

[From the Collection of Professor Ernest Chew, National University of Singapore]

http://www.victorianweb.org/victorian/art/architecture/classical/5.html

 

 

Charing Cross

~ Mike ~ 1 Comment

So after looking at a couple of the sites it looks like Charing Cross is almost like the street that leads from the poor to the middle class border. Then a little bit farther up is the rich district. For some reason I thought that the districts would be very specific areas. That seems to not have been the case though. By using the Charles Booth site i saw how close some of the poor areas were to the middle and upper class. Which then leads to what I found in the old bailey! I looked up the street in the old bailey and every insert seemed to be about burglary and or theft. This, to me, makes sense due to the fact that the class areas were so close together. I mean if right out side my house was a much richer person, and I saw them everyday, I might try and steal a thing or two from them. A few other more prominent I guess you could say crimes were things such as murder and coining but not as much as burglary. Coining was the making of false money, again makes sense when classes were so close.Screen Shot 2015-09-07 at 11.07.30 PM

Green Park in Evelyn Sharp’s “In Dull Brown”

~ Carly Silk ~ 1 Comment

Green Park

As it is plain to see from the above map, which shows Green Park as it was from 1893 to 1896, this expanse of land was located directly behind Buckingham Palace, the primary homestead of the British Royal Family, and extended a ways north, so close to royal ground that the Palace Gardens actually bisect the land. One has to wonder if this was planned on purpose, as to give the common folk a taste of the landscape that greeted the British Royals every morning.

In Evelyn Sharp’s short story “In Dull Brown,” Green Park is featured momentarily as Jean and Nancy pass by at morning in an omnibus. Jean momentarily takes herself out of her melancholy state to gaze upon the Green Park, commenting: ‘” Just imagine missing that glorious effect,” she thought to herself, as they rumbled along the edge of the Green Park where the mist was slowly yielding to the warmth of the sun and allowing
itself to be coaxed out of growing into a fog.” (Sharp, 182) The beauty of the land was enough to warrant its own passage, even though the characters were only passing by and not spending a significant amount of time inside.

greenpark1

 

 

Above is a modern view of Green Park, taken by George P. Landow for “The Victorian Web.” This pathway, which is described by Landow as “walking from the Buckingham Palace gates toward Oxford Street,” may do as well to remind one of the Central Park Mall in Manhattan’s Central Park. According to William Atkinson’s account from The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, taken on the 11th of April, 1749, fireworks were also shown in Green Park from time to time, as he was present at one of these events.

However, even though the Green Park seemed to be in a safe area because of its close proximity to Buckingham Palace and its gorgeous scenery, it was also the scene of many crimes, ranging from robbery to even sexual assault. For example, a man named John Alders was indicted on the charges of highway robbery that occurred in the Green Park on the 24th of February, 1768.

Green Park, London, United Kingdom. Digital image. London – OS Town Plan 1893-6. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Sept. 2015. <https://mapsengine.google.com/07550989709782409818-08328807677136535917-4/mapview/?authuser=0>.

Landow, George P. Green Park, London. Digital image. The Victorian Web. 12 July 2001. Web. 7 Sept. 2015. <http://www.victorianweb.org/victorian/art/parks/1.html>.

Sharp, Evelyn. “In Dull Brown.” The Yellow Book 8 (January 1896): 181-200. The Yellow Nineties Online.Ed. Dennis Denisoff and Lorraine Janzen Kooistra. Ryerson University, 2012. Web. 7 September 2015. http://1890s.ca/HTML.aspx?s=YBV8_sharp_dull.html

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 7.2, 07 September 2015), April 1749, trial of Susannah Plymouth (t17490411-49).

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 7.2, 07 September 2015), February 1768, trial of John Alders (t17680224-39).

 

 

 

London Bridge in “A Lost Masterpiece”

~ Daniela ~ 2 Comments

 

Screen Shot 2015-09-04 at 9.27.22 PM

The bridges of London are crossroads of international commerce and markets but they are also a place for crime especially during the Victorian Era. There was everything from pocket picking to assaults. One case I found in the Old Bailey Proceedings that occurred in the summer of 1894 documents a case in which a bargeman pulled a gun and fired at a group of boys that were noted to have been seen throwing stones at boats from the London Bridge (. Not much else is noted about the individual who was injured and brought charges against the bargeman but modern readers can almost picture such a bustling waterway full of commerce and life but also conflict.

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http://www.victorianweb.org/victorian/art/architecture/feist/30.html

 

London Bridge was an especially busy place with a very rich history. In Old and New London¸ writer Walter Thornbury states that London Bridge “was a battle-field and a place of religious worship, a resort of traders and a show-place for traitors’ heads.” During the Tudor reign, it was regularly used to showcase the heads of those convicted of treason. It has a dark history its transformation into one of the main trade centers in London makes it a perfect place to examine in the context of “A Lost Masterpiece.” London was still advancing technologically and socially before the turn of the century when this short story takes place. The movement of time as well as modern movement is important to understand Victorian texts.

The narrator in “A Lost Masterpiece,” states that she “boarded a river steamer bound for London Bridge.” There is a theme of social mobility present in London society at this time which is why so many people came in from the countryside for the opportunities London had. The narrator herself establishes this by stating she had come in from the countryside because she was bored with life there and missed the excitement of London and all the inspiring material it presented for her literary endeavors. Physical mobility is also represented by the steamer the narrator boards at Chelsea and London Bridge. The travel from West to East along the Thames could be a symbol for the migration of individuals from the country to the city. It also represents the movement occurring within London itself, which the narrator observes as she simultaneously acknowledges her role in the scheme of things. She declares, “I was simply an interested spectator of a varied panorama.” As the keen observer, she is capturing images of several different kinds of Londoners as she herself becomes part of this inner city movement. The language she uses to describe her thoughts are also tied to movement, she is “touching a hundred vagrant things with the magic of imagination, making a running comment on the scenes we passed.” By transitioning to using the word ‘we’ instead of the word ‘I’ as she frequently does in the beginning, the narrator has moved from an outsider in London to part of the London dwellers she describes. Additionally, she describes her thoughts as ‘running’, which further reinforces the theme of movement.

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Egerton, George. “A Lost Masterpiece.” The Yellow Nineties Online. The Yellow Nineties Online, n.d. Web. 05 Sept. 2015.

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 7.2, 05 September 2015),   July 1894, trial of WILLIAM BAVINGTON (50) (t18940723-626).

Walter Thornbury, ‘London Bridge’, in Old and New London: Volume 2 (London, 1878), pp. 9-17 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol2/pp9-17 [accessed 1 September 2015].

“Victorian Google Maps.” Victorian Google Maps. Google, n.d. Web. 05 Sept. 2015.

http://www.victorianweb.org/victorian/art/architecture/feist/30.html

Victorian Period – Abortions

~ hartellt1

I have to say that it didn’t take long for me to have an opinion on this when I first started reading about the opinions of abortions during this time period. It seems that we, as humans, haven’t really changed our viewpoint on the practice since this era. Though we are becoming somewhat more liberal with the pro-choice vs pro-life conflict, it’s still a point of contention and controversy. And according to the first two paragraphs, alone, of this piece, it seems no different in this era as well. On the other hand, I feel like there was some sort of acceptance of infanticide back then depending on the scenario and the country, which I feel like does not exist in today’s world. It seems more like a unanimous thing in today’s world than back then where, between all different cultures (which I thought was an interesting touch of comparison) what would be done.

There was one line that caught my attention in the passage: “Physically she is a miserable invalid, with no disease except the consequence of that utter exhaustion resulting from the forced abortion” (Jackson). In the passage the author is referring to a married woman who terminated her pregnancy so she could sail with her husband to Liverpool. It caught my eye because of what the author calls her – a miserable invalid. Almost as if he is belittling her because of what she chose to do by terminating her pregnancy, and then losing all the other children she birthed. Now while I can’t say I was rooting for what her excuse of terminating the pregnancy was, which was “because her husband was going to Europe in the spring, and she wanted to go with him and couldn’t be bothered by a young one”. But a woman’s body is still her own, and, I believe, she can choose to do what she likes. On the one hand it does, and it doesn’t, surprise me that the attitude that abortion is wrong existed during this time frame since Victorian London was a little more conservative concerning that and sex.

As I had mentioned, comparisons with other countries concerning abortion was very interesting because, again, this is not a topic that you really hear about how they used to terminate pregnancies.  In Madagascar and Greenland, for example, if the mother died during or after her pregnancy, the living child would be buried alongside her. Like what??  And on the coast of Guinea, in the case of twins being born, the feeblest would be killed, or if it were a girl. Again, something that doesn’t truly surprise me because China and other nations have done that before. Athens, listed in this article, is noted to have done the same with any baby girls. I just thought it was interesting to how far this practice extended on offing baby girls because they were deemed undesirable.

I have to say, though it seems like we’ve come a long way since this time, we’re still struggling with the idea of abortion being humane or an act of sin against God.