Society
An informative timeline from the Early Georgian period to Today, studying the effects of society on housing and health.
1740-01-01 00:00:00
Sanitation
During the 18th Century London grows larger and denser and the effort required to carry water to the home, especially to the upper floors severely restricts its use so bathing falls out of fashion.
1750-01-01 00:00:00
Privacy
In the 18th Century many people no longer live and work in the same building. This introduces privacy within the home for the first time.
1780-01-01 00:00:00
Interiors
During the late 18th Century formality of interiors is replaced by more casual arrangements and a more casual appearance becomes fashionable.
1788-01-01 00:00:00
'The Times' is published in London.
1807-01-01 18:18:51
Britain abolishes the slave trade
1810-01-01 00:00:00
House-Building
House-building largely done by profit-seeking private builders Long streets of unplanned terraced houses are built.
1810-01-01 18:18:51
Urban migration
Britain’s cities begin to expand on a large scale. Workers and labourers from the surrounding countryside seek work in the cities.
1811-01-01 00:00:00
Wealth, health and the seaside
It becomes more fashionable for polite society to live in seaside towns, particualrly Brighton.
1830-01-01 00:00:00
Gardening
Gardening becomes socially acceptable for middle class men and women.
1832-01-01 18:18:51
Reform Act
Vote given to middle class men.
1840-01-01 00:00:00
Poverty
In poorer areas of cities families live in dark and unsanitary squalid housing often without facilities and natural light.
1840-01-01 18:18:51
A regular postal service is in use.
1850-01-01 18:18:51
Middle classes relocation
Prosperous middle classes seek to escape the smoke and smell of industry by moving to new quiet residential areas.
1850-01-30 20:59:15
The popular house type
The preferred house type is the substantial detached or semi-detached villa Twelve rooms or more and sufficient space for servants to live and work separately from the family. Privacy and domestic comfort is of paramount importance to the Victorian middle class household.
1851-01-01 00:00:00
The Great Exhibition
50,000 products exhibited, many of them for the home or building of the home. Brings about a new wave of consumerism in furnishing the home.
1851-01-01 00:00:00
Seperate bedrooms required
Housing reformers begin to advocate separate bedrooms for boys and girls. Houses therefore now required at least two or three separate bedrooms.
1851-01-01 00:00:00
Labouring Classes Lodging Houses Act
Introduces registration for keepers of lodging houses and empowers local authorities to make regulations.
1851-01-30 20:59:15
Increase in commuters
Commuting begins due to railway development and growing middle class demand for suburban areas away from work.
1852-07-25 14:39:11
The Post box is introduced in the Channel Islands.
1857-07-25 14:39:11
Roadside post boxes appear
1860-07-25 14:39:11
Arts & Crafts movement.
1872-07-25 14:39:11
First Mail Order Catalogue
Aaron Montgomery sends the first mail order catalogue in Chicago.
1875-07-25 14:39:11
Liberty & Co. open selling Arts & Crafts furniture.
1875-07-25 14:39:11
Telephone communication
First telephone exchange opens in London.
1875-07-25 14:39:11
House-Building
Most houses are built privately for rent with virtually no social housing.
1890-07-25 14:39:11
Suburbs
The “bylaw” suburbs of one-family houses becomes the norm.
1890-07-25 14:39:11
House-Building
London’s local councils begin to build houses.
1890-07-25 14:39:11
Housing the Poor
Efforts are made to build and regulate private common lodging houses that cater for those in most need.
1911-07-25 14:39:11
Women
90% of married women are full time housewives and mothers.
1914-02-06 10:02:37
Owner Occupancy
The 20th Century levels of owner occupancy:
1914-12-10 14:18:45
Women
Women’s magazines and the Women’s Institute appear.
1918-12-10 14:18:45
Slum clearance campaign
Victorian Poor Law, impels people towards respectable domestic standards. Despite campaigning for standards only 11,000 slums are cleared.
1920-12-10 14:18:45
Home
The working day is extended by longer journeys to work...
1920-12-10 14:18:45
‘Homes fit for heroes’
Government’s recognition of the national responsibility to provide homes.
1920-12-10 14:18:45
A rise in consumerism.
1920-12-10 14:18:45
Council Housing
Government legislation requires local authorities to provide council housing...
1921-12-10 14:18:45
Council Housing
Only 17,000 council houses built.
1922-12-10 14:18:45
The First wireless broadcasting
Wireless broadcasting developed during 1880s and 1890s. BBC founded in 1922.
1924-12-10 14:18:45
The 1924 Act
The 1924 act sees 505,000 council homes built. Until this point council houses were only built if the private sector could not meet demands in the area.
1929-07-25 14:39:11
First British television broadcast
1930-12-10 14:18:45
Housing
Terraced housing gives way to the semi-detached house. Density changes from 45 dwellings per hectare to 16-30.
1930-12-10 14:18:45
Housing and Consumerism
Up-to-date family housing, with all its associated possessions, makes its own contribution to the “increasingly pervasive influence of middle-class values”.
1933-05-12 05:58:49
Slum Clearance
Authorities required to concentrate on slum clearance. Each has to submit a programme of building and demolition aimed at eliminating slums from their districts.
1939-05-12 05:58:49
Keeping livestock
One in eight town houses and one in three rural houses keep livestock to support the war effort. Mainly feeding pigs from kitchen waste.
1939-05-12 05:58:49
House-Building
Destruction caused by bombing leads to a house building programme, concentrating on social housing.
1939-05-12 05:58:49
Continued stigma around council estates.
1940-05-12 05:58:49
Housing
Housing needs for the elderly population begins to be considered seriously by local councils.
1945-05-12 05:58:49
The home
Postwar Gas & electric meters are moved outside the home as it is no longer guaranteed that a housewife will be at home to let the meter reader in...
1945-05-12 05:58:49
Housing
Housing policy central to welfare reforms.
1945-05-12 05:58:49
Housing
Temporary Prefabricated Housing programme