Evil Edwardian Houses (Life in 1900s Homes)

Jerry-built, dirty, falling apart and often dangerous - this is what you could rent as a working class family in Edwardian London. Rent was also expensive. Working class families often had to rent a room or two within a house, sub-let from landlords - who themselves were responsible for the payment of families overcrowded into small and mean rooms. For these poorly built houses lacked ventilation, suffered damp and had a lack of basic sanitation. What's more, if the money in your pocket couldn't stretch to better accommodation, you could find yourself renting a room through which another family had to pass through to get to theirs – or even a room in a dark and fetid basement. If that wasn't recipe enough for a nightmare existence, then you might be unfortunate enough to live in mortal danger of your life – a false step from a first floor bedroom directly onto stairs with no bannisters saw too many women and children fall to their death. Find out what type of accommodation you could afford to rent as a working class Edwardian. Would you choose a cheap option so you can afford food or risk a better room for your family in the hope that you would stay in a job?