No. 504: Strand, WC2
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.
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