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Jacobs Island
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Jacobs Island
View of Folly ditch, Jacobs Island. Jacobs Island was a notorious slum in Bermondsey, London, in the 19th century, located on the south bank of the River Thames, approximately delineated by the modern streets of Mill Street, Bermondsey Wall West, George Row and Wolseley Street. Jacobs Island developed a reputation as one of the worst slums in London, and was popularised by the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, published shortly before the area was cleared in the 1860s. Date: 1875
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Media ID 23396128
© Mary Evans/Peter & Dawn Cope Collection Mary Evans/Peter & Dawn Cope Collection
1875 Approximately Area Bank Bermondsey Cleared Developed Dickens Ditch Folly Jacobs Located Mill Notorious Oliver Reputation Shortly Slum Slums Twist Wolseley Worst 1860s Delineated
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Jacobs Island: A Glimpse into London's Notorious 19th Century Slum This evocative image captures the view of Folly Ditch on Jacobs Island, a notorious slum located on the south bank of the River Thames in Bermondsey, London. Delineated by the modern streets of Mill Street, Bermondsey Wall West, George Row, and Wolseley Street, Jacobs Island was one of the worst slums in London during the 19th century. The area developed a reputation for its squalid living conditions, overcrowding, and lawlessness. The image, taken in 1875, shows the Folly Ditch, a polluted waterway that ran through the heart of Jacobs Island. The ditch was a breeding ground for disease and a source of contaminated water for the residents. The island's unsanitary conditions were a stark contrast to the growing prosperity and modernization of London during this period. Jacobs Island gained notoriety through Charles Dickens' novel "Oliver Twist," which was published shortly before the area was cleared in the 1860s. The novel depicted the harsh realities of life in the slums, shedding light on the plight of the urban poor and the need for reform. Despite the clearance efforts, the memory of Jacobs Island lingered, serving as a reminder of the harsh living conditions that once existed in the heart of London. Today, the area has been transformed, and the only reminder of its past is the name of the nearby Folly Wall, which marks the site of the former slum.
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