In the 19th century, London was the capital of the largest empire the world had ever known — and it was infamously filthy. It had choking, sooty fogs; the Thames River was thick with human sewage; and the streets were covered with mud.
Why were London homes smelly in the 19th century?
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.
What would you smell in Victorian London?
Hot, overcrowded, with little running water or sanitation, the sheer stink of unwashed bodies, tobacco smoke, horses and garbage would have been horrendous. But worse still was the smell which came from the river Thames. There was no effective plumbing in London until the 1860s.
What did Victorian England smell like?
They were understated, feminine – and often simply conjured up the scent of a particular flower, such as jasmine, lavender, roses, honeysuckle… Aromatic herbs might be used, too: marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and the odd sprinkling of spice – like cloves (which gave a carnation-like scent).
What does London smell like?
There’s a heady aroma of car exhaust fumes, fuel and dust overpowering Londoners’ nostrils (perhaps unsurprisingly). But not far behind, the smell of the natural world – flowers, plants, trees and grass – is enveloping our noses.
How did people deal with body odor in the 1800s?
People’s daily washing consisted of a splash of cold water from a basin usually in the kitchen or bedchamber. [5] They washed the bits that showed namely the face, the feet, and the hands. This daily washing helped George or Betty start off their day smelling fresh but it didn’t last long in the brutal Virginia summer.
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 did the 18th century smell like?
So, smells can tell us a great deal about how past people perceived the world around them. When historians delve into the archive and start sniffing, there are five scents that waft from the annals of the 18th century with particular pungency: rose, fish, ammonia, tobacco and paint.
What would you smell in medieval times?
Odors, including those of incense, spices, cooking, and refuse, were both ubiquitous and meaningful in central and late medieval Western Europe.
What did the Victorians sniff?
There was laudanum for dysentery, chlorodyne for coughs and colds, and camphorated tincture of opium for asthma.
What did the 19th century smell like?
As Connie Chiang, a professor of history and environmental studies, points out in “The Nose Knows: The Sense of Smell in American History,” most 19th century cities smelled like a combination of raw sewage, horse manure, piles of uncollected garbage baking in the sun, and, last but not least, the “odorous slaughtering
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.
Is London the old smoke?
London was sometimes referred to as “The Smoke” because of this. In 1952 this culminated in the disastrous Great Smog of 1952 which lasted for five days and killed over 4,000 people.
What is the UK’s Favourite smell?
If the results of our survey are anything to go by, we really are a nation of foodies. The top four favourite scents all stem from food and drink, with the Sunday morning saviour of sizzling bacon taking the crown for 50% of responders.
What did Oh de London smell like?
The original Oh! de London opened with a fresh citrus. It was bergamot orange pure and simple, and a lemon. There was a definite green note & greenness to how it opens. Smells like an orange flavored rosebush.
Did people in medieval times stink?
The people
The population would have absolutely stunk. They did not wash very often. They often didn’t have more than one set of clothes. There was very little idea of personal sanitation, and in the summer they would all have been hot and sweaty.
Did people just stink before deodorant?
Before deodorant was introduced in the late-1800s, women used a combination of regular washing and copious amounts of perfume to combat body odor—and at the time, body odor was not considered an issue for men as it was viewed as masculine.
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.
What did the 17th century smell like?
The stench of horse manure
The 17th century was also full of foul smells; the stench could be dreadful everywhere. Mains water, sewer systems, deodorant, toothpaste, washing machines, fridges: none of these existed yet – with all the inherent consequences.
What is the vintage smell?
“Good vintage smells a wee bit musty, but more like a whiff of wool or your grandmother’s attic,” Ms. McDonnell said. “Maybe just the slightest hint of a cigarette smoke from a party; more like a life well-lived than anything gross.”
What does fashionably London smell like?
Fashionably London was launched in 2021. The nose behind this fragrance is Jo Malone. Top note is Bergamot; middle note is Rose; base note is Musk. ‘Its soulful heartbeat always plays its own song.