There ought to be a word for the mixture of thrill and dread that comes with hearing someone talk about your home town on the radio or TV. Coming from Winchester, it's usually dread that someone in red cords is suggesting feeding the poor to their rare-breed pheasants or something. In fact (of course) the town is, … Continue reading Josephine Butler and spaces of reform in Winchester
Tag: nineteenth century
Black Country Irish: lies, damned lies and statistics
We've had a quick look at some of the stories and statistics behind the Irish in the Black Country, particularly focusing on the census data for 1851. Data is an essential part of the story, but it is just a part. The historian can do loads with that, but it stops being interesting before too long: … Continue reading Black Country Irish: lies, damned lies and statistics
The Other immigrants of Carribee Island: Wolverhampton’s Jewish community 2
This post follows my first on the early Jewish community in mid-19th century Wolverhampton, last week. We explored the Bernsteins who lived at 64 Canal Street, and the opening of the Fryer Street Synagogue, Wolverhampton's first permanent such building. By 1871, I can't find the Bernsteins in the Canal Street area, but I can find others I … Continue reading The Other immigrants of Carribee Island: Wolverhampton’s Jewish community 2
“Slums” of the Black Country: The Mambles, Dudley
I've had a wonderful time speaking on my research at Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Archives recently - I've met tons of new people, heard anecdotes and stories and generally had a ball. I was discussing Carribee Island, a site of extremely poor housing, poverty and job insecurity, criminality (perceived, at least) and a very dense … Continue reading “Slums” of the Black Country: The Mambles, Dudley