English Urchins

One of my regular Twitter feeds is @historyepics - which constantly finds interesting and often mind-boggling pictures in history. Often it is monumental shots like the last noted photo of the Titanic setting sail. Recently it has been a bit morbid with shots of the back seat of the Kennedy limo or John Lennon's stained spectacles. But for the most part, it is curated albums that hold a place in time; whether slice-of-life shots or celebrity candids.

This album highlights the poverty ridden children on the streets of London at the dawn of the 20th century. It is not quite the imagery of Charles Dicken's Oliver Twist and the Artful Dodger. But think more Newsies set in London's East End. During these holiday times when we think about the Cratchit children and Tiny Tim, I thought this would be a good share. Attached is an enlightening article that talks about the political climate of this specific world. When the poor were continuing to benefit the ruling British Empire, by favoring factories and trade which exploited both the children & families. It was not until the enactment of the Employment of Children Act of 1903 which started to turn the tide for these unfortunate urchins.

Ironically, the photos show more charm than they do turmoil of infections, dead animals & excrement that littered their streets. The photos are mostly taken by historian Horace Warner in the Spitalfield neighborhood. Here is the link to complete feature with more photos and history of the time period. #GodBlessUsEveryone

Daily Mail - London's East Side in History