6. Victorian London: social problems and their solutions
London more than doubled in size and population between 1851 and
1901. Maps played a major role in Victorian London. As well as recording
the face of the city, maps were used to identify and analyse the
causes of many of its numerous social problems. These included poverty
and unhealthy living conditions made worse by recurrent visitations
of cholera.
Railways arrived on the fringes of London from
1836, bringing people and yet more problems. The need to improve
living conditions in the East End lay behind the creation of Victoria
Park in the 1840s. An impressive tally of parks, commons and elegant
new cemeteries followed. Other proposals, like Kingsway (1900-05),
saw grand avenues being created while networks of ancient, picturesque
and insanitary lanes, with a few exceptions, were demolished.
Click the pins on the Google Map above or follow
the links below to view some of the key maps from this period in
our Online Gallery.
