Victorian Slum

I missed it last night but will catch up with it as its the time of my parents when they were young. I remember my Dad telling me because he was the oldest of 7 children he had to sleep under the table in the scullery because there was no room for him in the bed his siblings shared, he said he didn't mind as he would move near to the stove which had a little warmth left in it from the daily fire.

Thought it was very good. It was interesting that the parents all went without food in order to feed their children. I think probably in Victorian times feeding the man of the house was more important because he had to go out to work. I know the girls sold watercress but I think all the children would have doing something.

I enjoyed the programme but they made a big mistake over people's wages in those days. £10 per week was mentioned which just couldn't be true. My husband was only earning £22 a week when we got married in 1968, nearly 120 years later! The children were selling watercress at 9d per bunch when it would have been more likely a penny, or a penny ha'penny per bunch. I've just googled it and came up with this
fascinatinghistory.blogspot.co.uk/2005/08/salaries-wages-in-victorian-times.html

Before the early 1900's children could work in factories , the unions stopped this which caused battles with factory owners who could employ eight year olds for a fraction of an adult wage . If near parks and or fields children would collect the firewood and edible vegetation . Many single mothers turned to prostiution , that or workhouse life which was harder but at least they had food , of sorts , gruel and broths every day. They were suppose to be given meat and veg but this depended on the workhouse master

Sparklefizz at the beginning of the programme they explained that the money sums involved would be translated into modern money terms to make it more relevant and understandable. Makes the £10 for working as a labourer in a bell foundry even more shocking to my mind. the programme was really good, not sensationalised and I look forward to the rest. It was especially interesting seeing the Jewish family who had ancestors with lives like this,the wife was quite upset as she talked about them.

They explained Sparkle that they had converted the payments into today's money so that we could easily compare. The man would be getting nearly £10 an hour for that job today!

Crossed posts GillT

Marvellous!!

~Sorry, I must have missed that bit about converting the money. Yes, I deeply admired the Jewish family who worked incredibly hard long hours, and so did the children, and I think the wife was driven on by the thoughts of her ancestors. The single mum didn't put her heart into making those boxes! How did she think they would sell, they were falling apart!