Case Study ; Cardiff

Question 1

What were living conditions like in Cardiff in the 19th Century?

Answer 1

• houses were built quickly with no thought of sanitation
• houses were built back to back
• no ventilation, drainage or adequate water supply
• narrow streets were unpaved, often following lines of streams to get rid of household waste and excrement

Question 2

Stanley street stats?

Answer 2

Late 1840’s Stanley Street had 18 houses with 2 rooms each, with a privy opening directly onto a living room, waste was barely emptied
-street was 4.5m wide with raw sewage flowing down it

Question 3

Why did Cholera spread in 19th Century Cardiff?

Answer 3

• Cardiff got their water from either Glamorganshire Canal, Bute Dock , the River Taff or street pumps
• often these were poisoned by cesspits leaking into them

Question 4

How did disease spread quickly in 19th century Cardiff?

Answer 4

• no ventilation, drainage or adequate water supply
• narrow streets were unpaved, often following lines of streams to get rid of household waste and excrement
• overcrowding in houses

Question 5

Stats for overcrowding in 19th century Cardiff?

Answer 5

-1851 census showed that 17 Stanley Street housed 54 people

Question 6

When was their a cholera outbreak in Cardiff and how many died?

Answer 6

• Long summer of 1849
• Last death came in November, 396 people died because of Cholera
• 1893- 3 deaths (fewer due to piped water and new sewers)

Question 7

How did Cardiff attempt to control of the Cholera?

Answer 7

• medical officers to visit poorer houses twice a day
• landlords had to ventilate lodges
• dispensaries were opened where advice and remedies were issued
• ordered frequent cleansing and removal of all filth, odours and nuisances

Question 8

How did Cardiff attempt at improving public health in Cardiff in the nineteenth century

Answer 8

• 1848 Public Health Act
• The Rammel Report (1850)
• The work of Dr Henry James Paine
• Clean water
• Cardiff infirmary

Question 9

How did the 1848 Public Health Act help improve public health in Cardiff?

Answer 9

Granted Cardiff permission to set up a local health board responsible for housing standards, water supplies and sewers

Question 10

What was The Rammel Report (1850)

Answer 10

highlighted the problems e.g. poor water supply, lack of sewers, poor housing etc;

Question 11

What did Dr Henry Paine do?

Answer 11

• 1850 supplied clean drinking water with Cardiff Waterworks
• 1856 spent 200,000 pounds for a new sewage and draining system
• Inoculating people to protect against smallpox

Question 12

When was Cardiff Infirmary built?

Answer 12

1883

Question 13

How did the Public Health Act 1875 attempt at improving public health in Cardiff

Answer 13

-ordered councils to cover open sewers, supply fresh clean

Question 14

Was Cardiff’s attempts successful ?

Answer 14

Yes, the death rate fell

• 1900 Cardiff had the 4th lowest infant mortality rate
• By 1905 when Cardiff became a city it had a sports stadium, university and parks

Question 15

What things were successful; in improving public health ion Cardiff?

Answer 15

• Government and it’s legislation

- Cardiff Corporation

Question 16

What 4 legislation helped public health in Cardiff?

Answer 16

• 1848 Public health
• 1850 Rammell Report
• 1866 Sanitary Act
• 1846 Public Bath and Wash Houses Act

Question 17

What did Cardiff Corporation INTRODUCE to help public health?

Answer 17

• -paved streets
• planning regulations
• 1859 Cardiff Cemetery
• 1821- Cardiff Gas Works
• Public baths

Question 18

How did the 1846 Public Baths and Wash houses act help public health?

Answer 18

• allowed local authority to use rates to build public baths

- Victorians realised people were healthier when they washed themselves and their clothes

Question 19

What had improved in Cardiff by 1900?

Answer 19

• sewage and drainage systems
• housing
• clean water
• living conditions
• public baths