Childhood and Death in Victorian England

Kleenex alert
You are going to want a box of kleenex with you as you read through this heartbreaking book. As a mother, it was very difficult to read, but as a historian, it was full of great information!
I ran through the gambit of emotions on this one - anger, sadness, righteous indignation. Now, taking all that aside, I had to put it in the context of the times. Things were different, and I tell my students that we have to be careful to not place the strictures of today on the past.
Reading through stories of children watching other children, it was common place. Childhood work laws are not what they are today, and so sending a child to work in the factories, apprenticing them to work on ships, or other trades was the norm.
What was not the norm was the horrid abuse that some of these children went through. Reading through some of the stories and learning that some stood by and did nothing - why!? Was it out of fear, or cowardice? We don't know, and we won't ever know.
As I stated, you are going to want kleenex on this book - but the information it contained was very well done, and documented very well. It was not a hard read in context, but it is hard on the heartstrings.

Interesting but grim

This is a non-fiction title, focusing on Victorian social history

This book provides a great deal of information on cases of death or injury in Victorian children. The author has clearly spent much time on research.

The book is divided into five chapters.
The first covers industrial and work relates incidents. Much information is gathered from Parliamentary enquiries into the condition of children in work. Together with inquest and court reports, a picture emerges of bullying, abuse, neglect and harsh conditions, especially for the orphan. Business owners prioritised profit, with the barest nod towards safety.

Chapter two moves on the accidents. Drowning and road accidents were common. The most heavily featured is burning and scalding. The cramped living conditions meant children were close to fires and hot water in the home. The need for both parents to work outside of the home, left children without adult supervision.

Chapter three looks at the effect poverty and disease had on the life expectancy of children. Poor or absent healthcare, little understanding of disease transmission, dirty water, poor housing and insufficient food, all played a role. Chapter four covers murder and manslaughter. The descriptions of injuries inflicted and disposal of bodies are authentic, but very challenging.

The final chapter on new-born and early infant deaths covers deaths caused by parental ignorance, desperate attempts to conceal unwanted pregnancy and the malicious, self-serving acts of “baby farmers”.

I found this book a hard read. The grim details of abuse, injury and death are not for the fainthearted. I read it in one session, but I would recommend reading small sections as it is unrelenting. It also felt somewhat repetitive, as case report after case report were included. I found it difficult to tell where one story ended and the next began. Although, I have to say the printed page seems much clearer than the e-book that I read.

Those with an interest in social history or genealogy would find this interesting. However, as the author states, most of the content can be found online and this book adds only a little additional context.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views expressed are my own.