Orwell

1
Orwells London

• A Study of Poverty in Early 20th Century Britain

2
The Spike

• At A you are allowed to smoke but there are bugs
  in the cells at B the beds are comfortable but
  the porter is a bully at C they let you out
  early in the morning but the tea is undrinkable
  at D the officials steal your money if you have
  any and so on interminably. (Orwell, 143)

3
A lodging house (picture taken in present day)
that housed men like Orwell.
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(No Transcript)
5

• To my eye these Salvation Army shelters, though
  clean, are far drearier than the worst of the
  common lodging-houses. There is such a
  hopelessness about some of the people
  theredecent, broken-down types who have pawned
  their collars but are still trying for office
  jobs. Coming to a Salvation Army shelter, where
  it is at least clean, is their last clutch at
  respectability. (Orwell, 155-6)

6
In the morning after breakfast and the doctors
inspection, the Tramp Major herded us all into
the dining room and locked the door upon us. It
was a lime washed, stone-floored room,
unutterably dreary, with its furniture of deal
boards and benches, we were bored already, though
it was barely eight in the morning. There was
nothing to do, nothing to talk about, not even
room to moveMost of the tramps spent ten
continuous hours in this comfortless, soulless
room. Heaven knows how they put up with it.
(Orwell, 196)
7
Finding Work

• We went at five to an alley-way behind some
  offices, but there was already a queue of thirty
  or forty men waiting, and after two hours we were
  told that there was no work for us. (Orwell, 179)

8
Booths Poverty Map
9
Poverty Demographics

• Most poverty was located in the East End with the
  darker colors on the map.
• Single men were more widely unemployed than
  married men.
• Older workers found it harder to find other jobs
  after becoming unemployed.
• Males 18-24 had the highest risk of becoming
  unemployed.
• The least risk was for males between the ages of
  35-44, in their prime working years.
• 14 of the population was unemployed on average
  during the interwar years with the number
  skyrocketing to 22 at the height of the Great
  Depression.

10
(No Transcript)