The Great Stink was an event in Central London during July and August 1858 in which the hot weather exacerbated the smell of untreated human waste and industrial effluent that was present on the banks of the River Thames.
How did Victorian London smell?
The smell of human waste and industrial effluent hung over Victorian London. For centuries the River Thames had been used as a dumping ground for the capital’s waste and as the population grew, so did the problem.
Why was Victorian London so foggy?
London’s fogs mostly resulted from the gritty smoke of domestic coal fires and “the noxious emissions of factory chimneys,” coupled with the right atmospheric wet and stillness.
Was the Victorian era unsanitary?
During the Victorian Era in 19th century, health and sanitary conditions were not so great. Viruses and bacteria were quickly spread throughout London, such as Tuberculosis, Smallpox, Measles, Scarlet fever, Cholera, etc.
What did Victorian England smell like?
By the middle of the Victorian era, bergamot and lemon oil had surpassed Eau de Cologne to become the most popular fragrance for women. According to Goodman: “Bergamot and lemon oil, sometimes employed separately but more often used in combination, was the signature smell of the middle years of the century.
What did the Victorians sniff?
There was laudanum for dysentery, chlorodyne for coughs and colds, and camphorated tincture of opium for asthma.
When did London get sewage?
Parliament was forced to legislate to create a new unified sewage system for London. The Bill became law on 2 August 1858.
How many died in the 1952 London fog?
4,000 people
Impacts of the smog
About 4,000 people were known to have died as a result of the fog, but it could be many more.
Why is London so grey?
Britain is particularly cloudy because it’s located in the Warm Gulfstream. The heat necessary to evaporate all that water was absorbed off the African American coast, and then transported along with the water. The air above Britain, on the other hand, is quite often coming from the polar areas and thus much colder.
Why was London known as the old smoke?
Through the 19th and in the early half of the 20th century, Londoners used coal for heating their homes, which produced large amounts of smoke. In combination with climatic conditions this often caused a characteristic smog, and London became known for its typical “London Fog”, also known as “Pea Soupers”.
How did Victorian ladies deal with periods?
The Victorian Period (And Beyond)
From the 1890s to the early 1980s, people used sanitary belts, which basically were reusable pads that attached to a belt worn around the waist – and yes, they were as uncomfortable as they sound.
What did Victorians use for deodorant?
There was no deodorant, let alone disposable razors, so some women placed half-moon-shaped “dress shields” between their clothes and their hairy, sweaty armpits. But really, the most surefire way for a lady to deal with body odor was to wear perfume — a lot of it.
How were females treated in the Victorian era?
They were viewed as only supposed to be housewives and mothers to their children. The women during this era were only viewed as people that should only concern themselves with keeping a successful household. However, during this time women were forced into working positions outside of the household.
Did people smell in the Regency period?
The late Georgian period was full of offensive smells that followed your around, and people did not just always ‘put up with it’. They knew, that wherever there was ‘effluvia’ [Effluvium- an unpleasant or harmful odour or discharge], there were dangers; not always danger of death, but of illness and diseases.
What did medieval London smell like?
An episode of the 2011 BBC TV documentary Filthy Cities describes the streets of London in the 1300s. They were ankle-deep in a putrid mix of wet mud, rotten fish, garbage, entrails, and animal dung.
What fragrance did Queen Victoria wear?
Creed actually presented Victoria with a suprisingly heady scent, in 1845, ‘Fleurs de Bulgarie‘, which she wore throughout her illustrious reign: a waltz of Bulgarian rose, musk, ambergris and bergamot (and an updated version is still a bestseller today).
What did Victorians use for toilet paper?
Before that, they used whatever was handy — sticks, leaves, corn cobs, bits of cloth, their hands. Toilet paper more or less as we know it today is a product of Victorian times; it was first issued in boxes (the way facial tissue is today) and somewhat later on the familiar rolls.
What sanitary products did Victorians use?
Until disposable sanitary pads were created, cloth or reusable pads were widely used to collect menstrual blood. Women often used a variety of home-made menstrual pads which they crafted from various fabrics, or other absorbent materials, to collect menstrual blood.
Is snuff legal in UK?
Snuff is readily available over the counter in most European tobacco shops, it is also subject to the same sale and purchase age restrictions as with other tobacco products in accordance with local laws. In the United Kingdom, tobacco duty is not charged on “nasal” snuff tobacco.
Are Victorian sewers still used?
Sewage cleaners beneath Lower Thames Street, 1974
The Victorian brick-lined tunnels are still the basis of London’s sewer system even today, thanks to Joseph Bazalgette’s foresight.
What did the great stink smell like?
In the steaming hot summer of 1858, the hideous stench of human excrement rising from the River Thames and seeping through the hallowed halls of the Houses of Parliament finally got too much for Britain’s politicians – those who had not already fled in fear of their lives to the countryside.