Esoteric London

Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2. Photo © Roger Dean 2007

Round About a Pound a Week – Maud Pember Reeves, 1913:

Mr D., whose house was visited from June, 1910, till July, 1911, was a pottery packer, making 25s [shillings] a week. He allowed 23s [for house keeping]. There were six children born, and six alive.

November 7, 1910

Rent    7s  3d

Burial insurance    1s  3  1/2d

Boot club    6d

Slate club    7d

Gas    8d

Coal    1s  5d

Soap, soda    5d

Wood    1d

Coke    2d

Lamp oil    1/2d

Blacking    1/2d

Food

14 loaves    2s  11d

Meat    2s  8d

20 lbs potatoes    10d

6 ozs tea    6d

Sugar    5  1/4d

Butter    6d

Jam    4d

Vegetables    8d

Suet and lard    2  1/2d

Vinegar, pepper and salt    1  3/4d

1 tin of milk    3d

Flour    5d

Cheese    4d

Haddock    4d

[The above family budget is in shillings and pence, better known as ‘old money’. R.D.]

Round About a Pound a Week was a 1913 survey of poverty and infant mortality in Lambeth, London, by feminist and socialist Maud Pember Reeves. The book is fascinating reading and luckily is still in print and available from Persephone Books whose website can be visited by clicking here. R.D.