Comments on: Charles Booth’s Spitalfields

By: Marcia Howard

Marcia Howard — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 14:37:18 +0000

Harsh words in the write-up, especially with the word ‘rough’ constantly repeated, but certainly hard times to be living in at the time.

By: Cherub

Cherub — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 11:24:53 +0000

I read Charles Booth’s work in the late 80s, it was one of many things that prompted me to leave my job and read for a degree in history at Queen Mary College, Mile End in the early 90s. I’d started off by reading for a Social Science degree with the Open University but felt I wasn’t being stretched enough and wanted to study full time.

By: achim

achim — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 09:38:37 +0000

I have revisited the beautiful book by SPITALFIELDS NIPPERS, which GA already dedicated to me in 2014. The texts he has now found are an excellent addition to the history.

It is also touching that class differences are expressed in barefoot walkers and shoe wearers: Jewish children were also poor, but at least they wore boots…

Love & Peace
ACHIM

By: Bailey Jones

Bailey Jones — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 08:59:34 +0000

Interesting how often Booth uses the word ‘rough’. it is employed almost as a sociological descriptive term.
The word was used in my childhood. I grew up in a two-up -two-down terrace in Bolton in the 196Os and 70s. It was a working class community but considered ‘decent’ not ‘rough’. As children we were clean and tidy. Those we deemed rough sometimes had matted hair, wore old clothes, looked unwashed and swore without a care. They mostly lived in different streets. As kids, we avoided them – were scared of them even. The children would fight us if we strayed into their territory and we usually lost.
We understood, without really comprehending, that we were growing up in a world of hierarchy even amongst the working class. ‘Rough’ was a slur, which is why I am surprised to see a sociological pioneer like Booth using the word so freely but I suppose bias was common amongst researchers in Victorian times.

By: John Cunningham

John Cunningham — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:58:14 +0000

It’s of its time but his descriptions of the people he encountered is appalling by today’s standards. Totally lacking in any kind of empathy.

By: Kenneth Stewart

Kenneth Stewart — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:43:36 +0000

Marvelous pictures.. Doesn’t seem that long ago..I’ve been very lucky. After the war in Poplar we had a happy childhood. Not wanting for anything

By: Andy

Andy — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:11:41 +0000

It’s interesting to know the kids had expectations to help out and do jobs and run errands .
Kids left school at 14 too .