How the Other Half Lived: Ludlow's Working Classes 1850-1960 - Hardcover

Beattie, Derek

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1910723347 ISBN 13: 9781910723340

Publisher: Merlin Unwin Books, 2016

Synopsis

Ludlow, Shropshire, is perhaps best known today for its Michelin-starred restaurants, its famous Food Festival and its attractive Georgian and medieval market town centre.

But it has a less glorious claim to fame: the working classes of Ludlow lagged far behind the rest of the country when it came to their living conditions and, from Victorian times to the middle of the 20th century, they lacked most of the basic comforts.

Typhoid was rife, countless houses had no access to running water, and outside toilets were shared by up to five families. When it is remembered that Ludlow’s poor households often numbered eight or more residents, the degree of deprivation becomes clearer.

Yet Ludlow’s working classes battled on, largely uncomplainingly, until the local council finally agreed reluctantly to building the minimum number of council houses they could get away with, in the 1960s.

This is a clear-sighted, well presented and fascinating account of the everyday lives of those living on the ‘other’ side of Ludlow.

About this title

About the Author:

Dr Derek Beattie is married with three daughters and retired to Ludlow from the post of Head of History at Blackburn College. He was awarded his doctorate from Lancaster University for a study of the implementation of the Addison Housing Act 1919. He is on the committee of the Ludlow Historical Research Group and has given many talks on local history both in Lancashire and Shropshire.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

There were even a number of councillors who would not admit that Ludlow had slums. Though Councillor Marsden claimed that

About this edition

• Publisher: Merlin Unwin Books
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1910723347
• ISBN 13: 9781910723340
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 128