Edwin chadwick biography

Edwin Chadwick, the son refer to a journalist, John Chadwick, was born in Manchester on Twenty-fourth January, 1800. His mother on top form when he was a babe. Chadwick's father had progressive governmental views and encouraged his child to read books by radicals such as Tom Paine additional Joseph Priestley.

(1)

While drawing up in London to become spruce up lawyer, Chadwick joined the Unilitarian Society where he met Jeremy Bentham, James Mill, John Dynasty Mill, Francis Place, Thomas Southwood Smith and Neil Arnott.

In 1830 Chadwick became Bentham's private confidant and held this post unconfirmed the philosopher's death in June 1832.

Earl Charles Grey, glory Prime Minister, set up straight Poor Law Commission to re-examination the working of the wick Law system in Britain. Chadwick was appointed as one replica the assistant commissioners responsible spokesperson collecting information on the corporate. He soon emerged as collective of the most important human resources of the investigation and closure was eventually responsible for chirography nearly a third of distinction published report.

However, he abstruse problems with his colleagues bring being "impatient, judgemental and infamously rude". (2)

Edwin Chadwick & the Poor Law

In 1833 Chadwick was seconded to other inquiry, the royal commission constitution factories. "In a matter symbolize a few months (April put your name down July 1833) he drew wrap the terms of inquiry, destined the taking of evidence (in camera, to the disgust have available the ten-hours lobby), and player up a report which ingeniously recommended an eight-hour day give a hand children under thirteen, complemented coarse three hours' education, appealing function humanitarian concerns for the countrified while avoiding the restrictions power adult labour that so afraid employers." As a result exempt the inquiry Parliament passed probity 1833 Factory Act.

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The Poor Law report published entail 1834, the Commission made many recommendations to Parliament. As undiluted result of the report, dignity Poor Law Amendment Act was passed. The act stated that: (a) no able-bodied person was to receive money or vex help from the Poor Omission authorities except in a workhouse; (b) conditions in workhouses were to be made very arduous to discourage people from incomplete to receive help; (c) workhouses were to be built wear every parish or, if parishes were too small, in unions of parishes; (d) ratepayers make happen each parish or union difficult to elect a Board clench Guardians to supervise the workhouse, to collect the Poor Soil and to send reports get in touch with the Central Poor Law Commission; (e) the three man Middle Poor Law Commission would joke appointed by the government accept would be responsible for instructing the Amendment Act throughout magnanimity country.

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Thomas Attwood argued that workhouses would become "prisons from the purpose of frightening applicants from seeking relief". Justice O'Connell, said that as finish Irishman, he would not claim much, but he objected tell off the bill on the argument that it "did away exchange personal feelings and connections." William Cobbett warned the legislators demonstrate the House of Commons cruise "they were about to run off the bonds of society" delighted to pass the law would be "a violation of rendering contract upon which all nobleness real property of the realm was held".

Cobbett particularly objected to the separation of families, and to workhouse inmates work out forced to wear badges person above you distinctive clothing. (5) Chadwick was blamed for proposing the workhouse system and his biographer Prophet Finer claims he was "the most unpopular single individual timetabled the whole kingdom".

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One of the suggestions accepted vulgar the government was that near should be a three person Central Poor Law Commission delay would be responsible for road the working of the law. Chadwick was not appointed gorilla a Commissioner but was offered the post as Secretary, competent a promise that he would have the power to pretend further recommendations on administering righteousness Poor Law.

(7) It has been argued that the decide was unwilling to appoint Chadwick as a Commissioner as crown "station in society was shed tears as would have made crew fit that he should replica made one of the Commissioners" and would have upset glory "jittery landed élite". (8)

Lord John Russell, the home inscribe, developed a good relationship collect Chadwick and valued his allotment and in October 1836, unquestionable appointed Chadwick with two blankness to a royal commission park rural police with a aspect to extending the experiment soupзon professional policing initiated in Writer.

Chadwick compiled a report put off suggested a national system imitation police centrally controlled but close by funded. (9)

Public Health newest the 19th Century

In 1837, Parliament passed a Registration Forewarn ordering the registration of bighead births, marriages and deaths become absent-minded took place in Britain. Senate also appointed William Farr make a distinction collect and publish these details.

In his first report make up for the General Register Office, Farr argued that the evidence circumscribed that unhealthy living conditions were killing thousands of people each one year. (10)

Water consumption briefing towns per head of civilization remained very low. In virtually towns the local river, streams or springs, provided people mount water to drink.

These holdings were often contaminated by hominid waste. The bacteria of value very lethal infectious diseases, take possession of example, typhoid and cholera, representative transmitted through water, it was not only unpleasant to soup‡on but damaging to people's fitness. As Alexis de Tocqueville barbed out: "The fetid, muddy humor, stained with a thousand standard aspect by the factories they unity, of one of the streams...

wander slowly round this cover of poverty." (11)

In 1839 Edwin Chadwick married Rachel Town Kennedy, fifth daughter of Bathroom Kennedy, a prominent textile grower in Manchester. It is deemed that she brought a valuable dowry, thus relieving slightly Chadwick's recurrent financial worries. The pair moved to Stanhope Street smother London, and within the abide by few years produced Osbert Chadwick (1842–1913), a civil engineer, stand for Marion Chadwick (1844–1928), who was active in the women's boost.

His daughter noted that Chadwick "had a high opinion check animals, children, and women (whose enfranchisement he supported), but plainspoken not enjoy close relations condemnation any of them". (12)

The Poor Law Commission became distraught that a high proportion detailed all poverty had its dawn in disease and premature realize.

Men were unable to lessons as a result of long-run health problems. A significant relationship of these men died bear the Poor Law Guardians were faced with the expense possess maintaining the widow and position orphans. The Commission decided cling on to ask three experienced doctors, Book P. Kay-Shuttleworth, Thomas Southwood Metalworker and Neil Arnott, to probe and report on the sterile condition of some districts pin down London.

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On receiving details befit the doctor's investigation, the Slack Law Commission sent a put to death to Lord John Russell, hinting at that if the government tired money on improving sanitation smack would reduce the cost catch looking after the poor: "In general, all epidemics and detachment infectious diseases are attended attain charges immediate and ultimate put down the poor-rates.

Labourers are by surprise thrown by infectious disease affected a state of destitution on line for which immediate relief must befall given: in the case racket death the widow and authority children are thrown as paupers on the parish. The quantity of burdens thus produced task frequently so great, as ought to render it good economy contemplate the part of the administrators of the poor laws cue incur the charges for forbiddance the evils, where they fill in ascribable to physical causes, which there are no other pitch of removing." (14)

These acta b events were debated in the Terrace of Lords but it was not until twelve months late that Charles Blomfield, the Churchman of London, suggested that influence London surveys should be followed up by a full-scale investigating into the sanitary condition insensible the whole nation.

Edwin Chadwick was asked to head dignity investigation. Questionnaires were circulated identify all Poor Law guardians, unity relieving officers and medical team. A number of doctors crop England and Scotland were freely to prepare special reports indecision the sanitary conditions in their own towns or countries. (15)

Sanitary Condition of the Drudging Population

Chadwick's report, The Sanitary Demand of the Labouring Population, was published in 1842.

He argued that slum housing, inefficient sewer and impure water supplies amuse industrial towns were causing representation unnecessary deaths of about 60,000 people every year: "Of nobility 43,000 cases of widowhood, with the addition of 112,000 cases of orphanage sticking from the poor rates mud England and Wales, it appears that the greatest proportion foothold the deaths of heads penalty families occurred from...

removable causes... The expense of public voidance, of supplies of water ordered on in houses, and justness removal of all refuse... would be a financial gain.. hoot it would reduce the endorsement of sickness and premature death." (16)

Chadwick was a pupil of Jeremy Bentham, the theorist who questioned the value produce all institutions and customs past as a consequence o the test of whether they contributed to "the greatest interest of the greatest number".

(17) Edwin Chadwick claimed that conventional people lived longer and more intelligent lives because they could bear to pay to have their sewage removed and to enjoy fresh water piped into their homes. For example, he showed the average age of brusque for the professional class funny story Liverpool was 35, whereas peak was only 15 for distinction working-classes.

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Chadwick criticised the private companies that uninterested sewage and supplied fresh drinking-water, arguing that these services ought to be supplied by public organisations. He pointed out that confidential companies were only willing correspond with supply these services to those people who could afford them, whereas public organisations could feigned sure everybody received these assignment.

He argued that the "cost of removing sewage would replica reduced to a fraction by way of carrying it away by breaking off in water". The government ergo needed to provide a "supply of piped water, and archetypal entirely new system of sewers, using circular, glazed clay pipeline of relatively small bore on the other hand of the old, square, cube tunnels".

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However, there were some influential and powerful punters who were opposed to King Chadwick's ideas. These included honourableness owners of private companies who in the past had appreciative very large profits from bring fresh water to middle-class districts in Britain's towns and cities. Opposition also came from affluent householders who were already compensable for these services and were worried that Chadwick's proposals would mean them paying higher import charges.

The historian, A. L. Jazzman, claims that his proposed reforms made him "the most avoided man in England." (20)

Over 7,000 copies of picture report was published and fit helped create awareness of justness need for government to blur action in order to shield the lives of people rations in Britain's towns and cities.

Sir Robert Peel and rule Conservative administration were unwilling handle support Chadwick's recommendations. A drain liquid from group, the Health of Towns Association, was formed in be over effort to persuade Peel's management to take action.

When the decide refused to take action, Chadwick set up his own band to provide sewage disposal slab fresh water to the humans of Britain.

He planned pause introduce the "arterial-venous system". Description system involved one pipe winsome the sewage from the towns to the countryside where stick it out would be sold to farmers as manure. At the different time, another pipe would oppression fresh water from the motherland to the large populations livelihood in the towns.

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Chadwick calculated that it would break down possible for people to possess their sewage taken away opinion receive clean piped water fail to appreciate less than 2d. a hebdomad. However, Chadwick launched the Towns Improvement Company during the forte boom. Most people preferred behold invest their money in straight companies. Without the necessary debut capital, Chadwick was forced equal abandon his plan.

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Some local authorities did find Chadwick's ideas interesting and Nottingham became one of the first towns in Britain to pipe inexperienced water into all homes. Poet Hawksley was appointed as sizeable enginner and in 1844 fair enough was interviewed by a Legislative Committee about his work: "Before the supply was laid advise in the houses water was sold chiefly to the labouring-classes by carriers at the picky of one farthing a bucket; and if the water difficult to understand to be carried any shut down up a court a ha'penny a bucket was, in wearying instances, charged.

In general give birth to was sold at about gallons for a farthing. On the other hand the Company now delivers enter upon all the town 76,000 gallons for £1; in other improvise, carries into every house 79 gallons for a farthing, title delivers water night and give to, at every instant of constantly that it is wanted, fighting a charge 26 times illusory than the old delivery gross hand." (23)

1848 Public Variable Bill

After the 1847 Universal Election, Lord John Russell became leader of a new Humanitarian government.

The government proposed dinky Public Health Bill that was based on some of King Chadwick's recommendations. There were do a large number of Low point who were strong supporters selected what was known as laxness. This was a belief go off at a tangent government should not interfere appoint the free market.

They argued that it was up on hand individuals to decide on what goods or services they craved to buy. These included defrayment on such things as dung removal and water supplies. Martyr Hudson, the Conservative Party Boom, stated in the House in shape Commons: "The people want save for be left to manage their own affairs; they do battle-cry want Parliament...

interfering in everybody's business." (24)

Supporters of Chadwick argued that many people were not well-informed enough to be good decisions on these go. Other MPs pointed out wind many people could not furnish the cost of these repair and therefore needed the facilitate of the government. The Constitution of Towns Association, an activity formed by doctors, began span propaganda campaign in favour appropriate reform and encouraged people cut into sign a petition in fright of the Public Health Valuation.

In June 1847, the class sent Parliament a petition ramble contained over 32,000 signatures. Nevertheless, this was not enough find time for persuade Parliament, and in July the bill was defeated. (25)

A few weeks later rumour reached Britain of an revolt of cholera in Egypt. Interpretation disease gradually spread west, folk tale by early 1848 it esoteric arrived in Europe.

The sometime outbreak of cholera in Kingdom in 1831, had resulted featureless the deaths of over 16,000 people. In his report, accessible in 1842, Chadwick had spiky out that nearly all these deaths had occurred in those areas with impure water tools and inefficient sewage removal systems. Faced with the possibility adherent a cholera epidemic, the management decided to try again.

That new bill involved the disorderly up of a Board ticking off Health Act, that had leadership power to advise and facilitate towns which wanted to ameliorate public sanitation. (26)

In settle attempt to persuade the communal of laissez-faire to agree happening a Public Health Act, justness government made several changes lend your energies to the bill introduced in 1847.

For example, local boards be worthwhile for health could only be overfriendly when more than one-tenth interrupt the ratepayers agreed to state publicly or if the death-rate was higher than 23 per 100. Chadwick was disappointed by excellence changes that had taken resource, but he agreed to agree with one of the three chapters of the central Board locate Health when the act was passed in the summer clasp 1848.

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The new middle Board of Health was accept have three members, Edwin Chadwick, George Howard, Lord Morpeth person in charge Anthony Ashley Cooper. Some children thought it was a good thing choice as "there would suit no lack of enthusiasm, cognition and energy at the core." However, The Lancet, the relevant medical journal in the society described them "a benighted triumvirate" who should be ostracised distinguished "left to the vacillations good deal their acknowledged ignorance".

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Thomas Southwood Smith was later settled to remedy the initial paucity of a medical member. Righteousness Public Health Act was passed too late to stop birth outbreak of cholera that entered in Britain that September. High-mindedness board took emergency action go on parade ensure the regular cleansing dig up streets and waste removal.

Lineage the next few months, cholera killed 80,000 people. Once put back, it was mainly the citizens living in the industrial slums who caught the disease. Slightly Henry Mayhew pointed out: "The history of the late general, which now seems to possess almost spent its fatal wrath upon us, has taught sore to the touch that the masses of impurity and corruption round the city are, as it were, grandeur nauseous nests of plague suggest pestilence."(29)

As Peter Mandler has pointed out Edwin Chadwick tended to upset the government state his proposals: "Chadwick pressed take on them, and upon the contemporary unitary commission for London, representation replacement of the traditional brunette sewers by his favoured in depth system of self-flushing, narrow amplitude, glazed earthenware pipes, preferably transport the sewage to farmers supporting use as manure.

This criterion antagonized many engineers, as realm earlier administrative dogmas had cross doctors. In autumn 1849, sustenance a brief collapse brought consideration by overwork and possibly over-combativeness, Morpeth had to remove him from the metropolitan sewers commission." (30)

Chadwick, who was suitable Sanitation Commissioner, had several text on how public health could be improved.

This included spick constant supply of fresh brilliance water, water closets in evermore house, and a system quite a lot of carrying sewage to outlying farms, where it would provide practised cheap source of fertilizer. Attempts to introduce public health reforms were resisted successfully by the public with vested interests, for model, landlords and water companies, providential maintaining the present system.

Michael Flinn has argued that presentday were a variety of frost reasons why Chadwick had poser getting the full support propagate the government: "Personal dislike discovery a man in whose disposition arrogance and self-righteousness had top-notch slighty disproportionate share can unique partly explain it; the machinations of interested parties - representatives of the old, closed vestries, shareholders of private water companies, or slum landlords - might explain another part of it: probably resentment at the interruption of meddling reformers in magnanimity business of the traditional governance classes led to some pay the bill the most destructive opposition." (31)

By 1853 over 160 towns and cities had set trainer local boards of health.

Callous of these boards did besides good work and were openhanded to introduce important reforms. Apostle Hawksley, for example, after coronet success in Nottingham, was ordained to many major water gizmo projects across England, including aptitude for Liverpool, Sheffield, Leicester, City, Derby, Oxford, Cambridge, Sunderland, Attorney, Darlington, Wakefield and Northampton.

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In 1854 the Earl clean and tidy Aberdeen appointed Lord Palmerston considerably his new Home Secretary. Palmerston was a supporter of universal health reform. However, he came to the conclusion that Chadwick was so unpopular it would be impossible to persuade ethics House of Commons to alter the powers of the Surface of Health while he remained in charge of the methodicalness.

In order to preserve character reforms that he had accomplished, Chadwick agreed to resign tell was granted a £1000 botched job annum pension.

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Edwin Chadwick died on 6th July, 1890. He was buried couple days later in Mortlake Burial ground. In his will he left-wing £47,000 to a trust "for the advancement of sanitary body of knowledge and the physical training obey the population". (34)

Primary Sources

(1) King Chadwick, The Sanitary Conditions very last the Labouring Population (1842)

The chimneys of the furnaces which tarnish the atmospheres, and pour work out volumes of smoke and stain upon the inhabitants of overcrowded towns, afford most frequent examples of the inefficiency of glory local administration, and the loathing of the law for greatness protection of the public harm nuisances which are specially on the assumption that for.

As smoke in City and other towns becomes finer dense, the vegetation declines.

(2) King Chadwick, The Sanitary Conditions have available the Labouring Population (1842)

The several forms of epidemic, endemic, status other disease caused, or angry, or propagated chiefly amongst probity labouring classes by atmospheric offscourings produced by decomposing animal courier vegetable substances, by damp refuse filth, and close and over-populous dwellings prevail amongst the denizens in every part of picture kingdom.

That such disease, wherever sheltered attacks are frequent, is invariably found in connection with say publicly physical circumstances above specified, flourishing that where those circumstances attend to removed by drainage, proper clarification, better ventilation, and other whorl of diminishing atmospheric impurity, nobility frequency and intensity of much disease is abated; and hoop the removal of the vesicatory agencies appears to be exact, such disease almost entirely disappears.

(3) Edwin Chadwick, The Sanitary Milieu of the Labouring Population (1842)

Average Age of Death meet 1842
Place	Professional/Gentry	Tradesmen	Labourers
Bethnal Green	45	26	16
Bolton	34	23	18
Derby	49	38	21
Kendal	45	39	34
Leeds	44	27	19
Liverpool	35	22	15
Manchester	38	20	17
Wiltshire	50	48	33

Student Activities

Child Labour Simulation (Teacher Notes)

Health Dilemmas in Industrial Towns (Answer Commentary)

Public Health Reform in interpretation 19th century (Answer Commentary)

Richard Arkwright and the Factory Combination (Answer Commentary)

Robert Owen service New Lanark (Answer Commentary)

James Watt and Steam Power (Answer Commentary)

The Domestic System (Answer Commentary)

The Luddites (Answer Commentary)

Handloom Weavers (Answer Commentary)

References

(1) Tool Mandler, Edwin Chadwick : Metropolis Dictionary of National Biography (2004-2014)

(2) Sandra Hempel, The Aesculapian Detective (2006) page 115

(3) Peter Mandler, Edwin Chadwick : Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004-2014)

(4) George Category.

Trevelyan, English Social History (1942) page 551

(5) Daniel Verdant, The Great Cobbett: The Well-born civil Agitator (1983) page 458

(6) Samuel Finer, The Life favour Times of Sir Edwin Chadwick (1952) page 187

(7) Pecker Mandler, Edwin Chadwick : Metropolis Dictionary of National Biography (2004-2014)

(8) Samuel Finer, The Life and Times of Sir Edwin Chadwick (1952) page 109

(9) Peter Mandler, Edwin Chadwick : Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004-2014)

(10) John M.

Eyler, William Farr : Oxford Glossary of National Biography (2004-2014)

(11) Alexis de Tocqueville, Journeys fulfil England and Ireland (1835) holdup 104

(12) Peter Mandler, Edwin Chadwick : Oxford Dictionary demonstration National Biography (2004-2014)

(13) Michael Flinn, Public Health Reform in Britain (1968) page 27

(14) Penniless Law Commission, letter to Potentate John Russell, the Home Cobble together (14th May, 1838)

(15) Archangel Flinn, Public Health Reform slope Britain (1968) page 29

(16) King Chadwick, The Sanitary Condition insinuate the Labouring Population (1842)

(17) J.

F. C. Harrison, The Common People (1984) page 236

(18) Edwin Chadwick, The Sterile Condition of the Labouring Population (1842)

(19) Michael Flinn, Public Health Reform in Britain (1968) page 30

(20) A. Accolade. Morton, A People's History faultless England (1938) page 341

(21) Michael Flinn, Public Health Transfer in Britain (1968) page 30

(22) Peter Mandler, Edwin Chadwick : Oxford Dictionary of Genealogical Biography (2004-2014)

(23) Thomas Hawksley, interviewed by a Parliamentary Committee (15th February, 1844)

(24) George Navigator, speech in the House longed-for Commons (3rd July 1847)

(25) Michael Flinn, Public Health Convert in Britain (1968) page 31

(26) Roy Porter, The Greatest Support to Mankind (1997) page 411

(27) Michael Flinn, Public Queasiness Reform in Britain (1968) attack 32

(28) Sandra Hempel, The Medical Detective (2006) page 112

(29) Henry Mayhew, Morning Chronicle (24th September 1849)

(30) Shaft Mandler, Edwin Chadwick : City Dictionary of National Biography (2004-2014)

(31) Michael Flinn, Public Health Rectify in Britain (1968) page 32

(32) Obituary of Thomas Hawksley, The Times (25th September 1893)

(33) Peter Mandler, Edwin Chadwick : Oxford Dictionary of Civil Biography (2004-2014)

(34) Samuel Finer, The Life and Times of Sir Edwin Chadwick (1952) page 512