Below is a list of geographical locations in the London where your ancestors may have lived

North-East, North-West, South-East, South-West, Midlands, London, East Anglia

• Aldgate
• Bethnal Green
• Bow
• Camden Town
• Chelsea
• Fulham
• Hackney
• Hammersmith
• Islington
• Kensington
• Lambeth
• Mile End
• Poplar
• Shoreditch
• Spitalfields
• Stepney
• St John's Wood
• Swiss Cottage
• Whitechapel

Description: London experienced a massive increase in population thanks to the industrial revolution. Low agricultural wages combined with fewer jobs thanks to the introduction of machinery, plus the creation of many factories in the city were the key drivers. At the start of the 19th century around 20% of England's population lived in London. By 1851 this had risen to 50%, a massive increase. This led to even bigger problems in housing and sanitation. Smog was heavy thanks to coal burning both domestic and industrial, rubbish was thrown in the streets, and there was little to no sewage system until the mid-1800s. On top of this, housing was cramped and poorly constructed. As London grew, areas grouped together to administer services and provide basic functions. These changed over time, from parishes to Metropolitan boroughs and London boroughs. For easy to read diagrams of how these London parishes and boroughs changed from parishes to Metropolitan boroughs in 1900 and to London boroughs in 1965, click on the links to Croydon to Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey to Lambeth, Lewisham to Sutton, Tower Hamlets to Wandsworth and Westminster.

Reading Materials:

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