During
the Victorian era changing patterns of work had a huge impact on living
and working conditions. Thousands of people moved from the country to
the towns and worked in the factories.
This
mass movement of people led to a severe housing crisis. People could be
living in houses that were spacious enough for four but were, on average,
occupied by fifteen to twenty people. They would share beds and even rent
beds on a shift basis so that the limited space was used to its maximum
capacity. The crowded and in-sanitary conditions led to poor general health,
and life-threatening illnesses. Typhoid and cholera were widespread.
The
activities in this topic are based on real images from the period. Children
will be asked to explore the symptoms of cholera and use real sources
to discover information about Victorian living conditions.
Teachers will need to be sensitive
to the housing conditions of their own pupils when completing these activities.
This
mass movement of people led to a severe housing crisis. People could be
living in houses that were spacious enough for four but were, on average,
occupied by fifteen to twenty people. They would share beds and even rent
beds on a shift basis so that the limited space was used to its maximum
capacity. The crowded and in-sanitary conditions led to poor general health,
and life-threatening illnesses. Typhoid and cholera were widespread. 
