Life in the Slum
This Ordnance Survey map of 1884 shows the maze of streets and courtyards that had developed in Broad and Narrow Marsh. Many of the houses were built 'back to back' around a central courtyard. They were built with the cheapest materials, were liable to damp and had no internal water supplies. This led to serious overcrowding, severe health problems and crime. Yet at the same time the Marshes became a flourishing community with thriving trades and shops.
It is evident from the map that railways had become an important part of the commerical landscape and tram routes ran along Station Street and up into the town along Carrington Street. See the 1884 Ordnance Survey map in more detail here [PDF 2385KB] 
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This photograph (left) shows back to back houses on Grove Street in Broad Marsh in the early 1930s (reference: CA/ES/8/172). The houses usually had three storeys and three rooms, with the upper stories used as lace dressing rooms. Drainage was along open gutters and water was only available from communal taps in the yard. Communal privies were housed in the corner of the court, often only one for every twenty houses. Entrance to the court was often along a narrow tunnel.
An important feature of the Marshes were the many lodging houses. This lodgings (right) was on Red Lion Street, Narrow Marsh (1933) (reference: CA/ES/8/173). The concentration of lodging houses in the area reflects the migrant nature of the working population, and their need to move from job to job. To earn a living, people moved between occupations, and trade to trade. The women worked as lace hands, machinists, cotton winders and charwomen. Many of the men were labourers, hawkers (street sellers), miners and lace workers.
Though there was undoubtedly a high level of crime in the Marshes, it was also a flourishing local community. There were busy shops, like grocers and butchers; and tradespeople of every description provided much needed services. Many people in the area had a great pride in their local community.
