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Campden Hill

Image ~ ~ hartellt1

In Amy Levy’s Romance of a Shop, Campden Hill is one of the first settings we are introduced to. In the first paragraph of the novel, the location is described: “There stood on Campden Hill, a large, dun-colored house, enclosed by a walled-in garden of several acres in extent. It belonged to no particular order of architecture, and was more suggestive of comfort than of splendour, with its great windows, and rambling, nondescript proportions” (Levy). What Levy suggests, just by the description of the home, it is modest, though large and with an impressive quality of land. So at the very least it is a well-to-do setting we are introducing our readers to the characters.
Located in South Kensington, near Holland Park, it is the location of the home belonging to the Lorimer sisters. The first three chapters of the book are set in Campden Hill before the Lorimer sisters are forced to sell their possessions and move elsewhere.

The Lorimers seemed to have once been a well-to-do family before their father’s death. Likewise their neighbors, for example Connie and her family, seem to be in favorable status as well. But when the sisters no longer have any money to support themselves, they decide to pursue photography as a serious profession; thus, they lose their home in Campden Hill and move to Upper Baker Street in London.

Here is a view of Campden Hill on the Victorian Map:

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And here are other Victorian era pictures of Campden Hill to better showcase what its surroundings were:

images campden-hill-gardens-with-water-tower-pc664

Once the sisters leave Campden Hill, it is the last time it is revisited in the novel, though it remains important as it establishes the status quo of the sisters and who they are before the plot of the novel really begins.

Also here is a picture to show what kind of area Campden Hill was from the Charles Booth Online Archive:

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As I had mentioned, the area itself contained many well-to-do middle class families with the wealthy classes. Because of the lack of black, there isn’t much criminal activity.

According to Old Bailey, the crime rate seems low in the area. The only crimes I was able to locate included forgery, theft, arson, embezzlement, fraud, and perjury (def: lying in court after taking an oath). Most of the punishments included imprisonment with either penal servitude or hard labor. Only one case, which was forgery by a man named Richard Armitage, ended in death (Old Bailey).

Works Cited:

Amy Levy. Romance of a Shop. N.p., 1888. Print.
“Map of Campden Hill.” Charles Booth Online Archive. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. <http://booth.lse.ac.uk/cgi-bin/do.pl?sub=view_booth_and_barth&args=525000,179900,1,large,0>.
“The Proceedings of the Old Bailey.” London History. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. <http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/static/London-life19th.jsp>.

Covent Gardens

Image ~ ~ Ashley Schluter ~ 1 Comment

Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End. The district is divided by Long Acre. The south part contains the central square with most of the elegant buildings, theaters and entertainment facilities.

4Covent Garden Market designed by Charles Fowler, was thought to be the central market of London. It was also thought to be the first of its size and kind. “The building consists of three distinct ranges, united at the eastern extremity by a colonnade that supports a spacious terrace, or balustraded gallery, upon which have been erected two conservatories; these are furnished with the most rare and choice productions, native and exotic, of the flower garden, and are further enlivened by a fountain, that, by a mechanical contrivance, is regulated according to the wind. This is the grand front; and faces Great Russell Street. The central range, a large and lofty avenue, is occupied by the dealers in the more expensive fruits and vegetables, and in their several seasons exhibit a grand display of hothouse and other produce of surpassing beauty and most exquisite flavour.” “Victorian London – Markets – Covent Garden. Victorian London – Markets – Covent Garden. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
The northern side consists of shops with small dwellings. The southern side follows suit with the northern. It’s made up of vendors and small dwellings.
covent gardenCrimes committed in the area are mostly theft and larceny. However, there are a few murders documented. At first the market was solely a high class area, but as taverns became to spring up in the area the clientele base dropped.  Later on the area became a popular red light district where prostitution was a popular vice. There are reports of such behavior but little details on punishments or crime reports.
Mostly middle class and well to do in the area, some poor.
covent gardens povertyAfter leaving Sibyl in tears in chapter 7 Dorian leaves her not paying attention to where he was going. He ends up in Covent Garden.
“As the dawn was just breaking, he found himself close to Covent Garden.”
This shows he cares about Sybil, but is it Sybil or the loss of his love story he is missing? Most people realize the vain attitude in Dorian and understand that is the loss of his perfect love story and the dramatic change in Sybil’s acting that Dorian is confused and saddened by. Dorian finds himself confused and dazed by Sybil’s dramatic change while Sybil is confused by Dorian’s reaction. Both parties involved have now dealt with the blurring of the line between art and reality.
Covent Garden was the central market of London, and home to its opera house. For Dorian it’s the place that his vain and story like life meet reality. When offered cherries by a kind market boy Dorian was confused. “He thanked him, wondered why he refused to accept any money for them, and began to eat them listlessly. They had been plucked at midnight, and the coldness of the moon had entered into them.” This further tells of Dorian’s personality as kindness is foreign to him.

covent gardenCovent Garden is surrounded by theaters including Covent Garden Theater Royal opera house and is in close proximity to Lincoln Inn Fields which is located by the Royal Theater on High Holborn.

 
Works Cited
“Booth Poverty Map (Charles Booth Online Archive).” Booth Poverty Map (Charles Booth Online Archive). Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
“Covent Garden : Part 1 of 3.” Covent Garden : Part 1 of 3. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
“The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891)/Chapter 7.” – Wikisource, the Free Online Library. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
“The Proceedings of the Old Bailey.” Results. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
“Victorian London – Markets – Covent Garden.” Victorian London – Markets – Covent Garden. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.