Charles Booth was one of those remarkable
English Victorians who can justly be described as one of the great and the good. Profoundly concerned by contemporary social problems, and not a pious nor even a religious man, he recognised the limitations of philanthropy and conditional charity in addressing the poverty which scarred
British society. Without any commission other than his own he devised, organised, and funded one of the most comprehensive and scientific
social surveys of
London life that had then been undertaken. Booth also added his voice to the cause of state
old age pensions as a practical instrument of
social policy to alleviate destitution in old age, established as one of the commonest causes of
pauperism. Simultaneously he was a successful businessman, running international interests in the leather industry and a steam
shipping line.
One of Booth's greatest acheivements was the survey into London life and labour and the maps he created. These maps were of London
coloured street by street to indicate the levels of poverty and wealth. They show a fascinating insight into London life in the late 1800s.
They also form the basis of a recent
BBC television show
The Secret History of Our Streets - a six-parter, with each episode telling the social history of a particular London street.
As an example,
click here to see the map of where I now live.
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