BOOTH/LSE POVERTY MAP Bermondsey Deptford Greenwich Isle of Dogs Docklands 1931

TITLE/CONTENT OF MAP: 'Descriptive map of London Social Conditions Eastern Survey Area Sheet 2. Inner South-East, comprising Bermondsey, Deptford, Greenwich, and the southern part of Poplar'

These maps were surveyed and produced by a team at the London School of Economics, continuing, updating and extending the earlier poverty maps by Charles Booth; the Charles Booth archive is held at the LSE library to this day. Booth was a philanthropist and social reformer. He was critical of the existing statistical data on poverty in late-Victorian London. His research showed that 35% of the population were living in abject poverty - far higher than widely believed. He popularised the idea of the 'poverty line', and used his work to argue for the introduction of Old Age Pensions which he described as "limited socialism". He was not a socialist, but had sympathy with the working classes and argued that such reforms would help prevent socialist revolution from occurring in Britain. Map colour key: BLACK: "Lowest class of degraded or semi criminal population"; BLUE: "Those who are living below Charles Booth's poverty line"; PURPLE: "The mass of unskilled labourers (and others of similar incomes) who are above the poverty line"; PINK: "skilled workers and others of similar grades of income"; RED: "the 'Middle Class' and the wealthy

DATE PRINTED: 1931    

IMAGE SIZE: Approx 60.5 x 102.5cm, 24 x 40.25 inches (Large); Please note that this is a folding map.

TYPE: Large vintage coloured folding poverty map

CONDITION: Good; suitable for framing. Please check the scan for any blemishes prior to making your purchase. Please contact us if you would like to arrange to view this map. Virtually all antiquarian maps and prints are subject to some normal aging due to use and time which is not obtrusive unless otherwise stated. We offer a no questions asked return policy.

AUTHENTICITY: This is an authentic historic map, published at the date stated above. It is not a modern copy.

VERSO: There is nothing printed on the reverse side, which is plain

FOLDING: This is a folding map.

ARTIST/CARTOGRAPHER/ENGRAVER: Surveyed by London School of Economics, continuing and extending the earlier survey by Charles Booth. The Consultative committee included Sir William Beveridge, George M. Booth, A.L.Bowley, Sir George Duckworth, G.H.Gater, John Hilton, C.M.Lloyd, Lord Passfield, L.C.Robbins, and Allyn Young. Charles Booth (1840–1916) was an English philanthropist and social researcher. He is best known for his innovative survey documenting London working class life at the end of the 19th century (most famously through his colour-coded poverty maps of the city of which this is one suh map). This work influenced government intervention against poverty in the early 20th century and led to the founding of Old Age pensions. He popularised the concept of the "Poverty Line".

PROVENANCE: "New Survey of London Life & Labour", by the London School of Economics; edited by Sir Hubert Llewellyn Smith. Introductory chapter by Sir H. Llewellyn Smith. Published by P.S.King & Son